chettinad-prawn-curry-recipe

Introduction

This is a recipe for a simple and delicious Chettinad-style Prawn Curry. A favorite seafood dish, it celebrates the joy of cooking with fresh prawns. Best of all, it’s made using just a handful of simple, everyday ingredients you likely already have at home.

Summary of the Recipe

The base begins with sautéing mustard seeds, fennel, onions, and chilies in sesame oil. A ginger-garlic and tomato paste is then cooked down before adding key spices like turmeric and coriander powder. The prawns are added to this thick masala and simmered until cooked, using their own released moisture. Finally, it’s finished with cumin, curry leaves, and pepper, being careful not to overcook the prawns to keep them tender.

Serving

The delicious Chettinad prawn curry is ready to be served hot . It pairs well with nice hot steaming rice. Alternatively, it can be enjoyed with Roti or chapati .

Preparation Time

Approximately 30-40 minutes Prep Work (10-15 minutes): This includes washing and cleaning the prawns, finely chopping the onions and tomatoes, roughly cutting the green chilies, and gathering all the spices. Cooking Time (20-25 minutes): This covers the entire cooking process from heating the oil to finishing the curry

Equipment Needed

The main equipment specified is a wide Kadai . A lid is also necessary to cover the Kadai during the 5-minute cooking stage.

Ingredients of the Recipe

🦐 Prawns (Washed, cleaned, deveined) 1 Kilogram
🫒 Oil (Sesame oil used) 4 tablespoons
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds 2 teaspoons
🧅 Large Onions 2 Finely chopped
🌶️ Green Chilies About 4 Roughly cut up
🧄 Ginger garlic paste 2 teaspoons
🍅 Large Tomatoes 2 Finely chopped
🧂 Salt |About 2 teaspoons
🟡 Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
🌶️ Red chili powder 2 teaspoons
🍃 Coriander powder 2 teaspoons
💧 Water 1/4 cup
Cumin powder 1 teaspoon
🍃 Fresh Curry leaves A few
⚫ Black pepper powder 1 teaspoon
🌿 Coriander leaves Finely chopped (For garnish)

Instructions for making Chettinad Prawn Curry

1. Sauté the Seeds and Aromatics

First, place a wide pan or kadai over medium heat. Then, pour in 4 tablespoons of sesame oil. Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds. Let them sizzle for a few seconds.

Next, add two finely chopped large onions and about four roughly cut green chilies. Sauté this mixture for about 5 minutes, until the onions turn a soft golden brown.

2. Create the Flavor Base

Now, add 2 teaspoons of ginger-garlic paste to the pan and stir for about 30 seconds.

After that, mix in two finely chopped large tomatoes.

Continue to cook and stir until the tomatoes break down and become soft and mushy, which should take about 5 minutes.

3.Add the Spices

At this stage, it’s time to add your dry spices. Add 2 teaspoons of salt,2 teaspoons of red chili powder.

Next, sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.

Finally, add 2 teaspoons of coriander powder and mix everything thoroughly until well incorporated.

Once the gravy looks thick, add 1/4 cup of water. Finally, continue cooking until you see oil starting to separate from the sides of the gravy.

4. Cook the Prawns to Perfection

Now, add 1 kilogram of washed, cleaned, and deveined prawns to the masala.

Mix the prawns well with the masala . Note that you do not need to add any water at this point because prawns naturally release moisture, which is sufficient for cooking them.

5. Simmer and Finish the Curry

After the prawns are coated with the masala, add 1 teaspoon of cumin powder and a few fresh curry leaves (adding the curry leaves now helps release a nice aroma) .

Then, cover the pan with a lid and let the prawns cook for 5 minutes on a medium flame.

6.Reduce and Thicken the Curry

After 5 minutes, you will observe that a lot of water has been released from the prawns . Give everything a quick mix and continue to cook, uncovered, until the water is nicely reduced and the curry is thickened .

7.Finish and serve

Once the curry is thickened,Turn off the stove . Sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves for garnish .

The delicious Chettinad prawn curry is ready to be served hot, ideally with nice hot steaming rice, or with Roti or chapati .

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