Goan Prawns

Last weekend we had friends over and one of the dishes I made was sensational. I did it again last night and it has become one of our favourites. Here is the receipe from Madhur Jaffrey. It is simple to prepare but you need fresh prawns. If for some reason you cannot find good quality prawns you can do it with haddock or salmon and chop them in 11/2 inch cubes.



Ingredients for 4 people

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon bright-red paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablesppon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt or taste
100ml water
2 tablesppons olive oil
1/2 teasspoon brown mustard seeds
1 large shallot, cut into fine slivers
2 garlic cloves, cut into fine slivers
400ml can of coconut milk
450 g (1LB) medium-sized raw prawns, peeled, de-veined and rinsed

1) Put the cayenne, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin, lemon juice, salt and water in a bowl. Mix well to form a smooth paste and set aside. You can prepare this paste in advance of cooking the curry.

2) Put the oil into a large, deep frying pan and set it over a medium-high het. When it is very hot, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to pop - a matter of seconds - add the shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring, until they are golden brown. Stir in the spice paste and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

3) Add the coconut milk and prawns and bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Once the sauce is bubbling, turn the heat low and simmer, uncovered, until the prawns have just turned opaque. I did sprinkled the dish with fresh coriander leaves but it was not stated in the receipe. It is just that I LOVE fresh coriander and the added colour makes the dish look prettier. Serve immediately.

Serve with plain rice.

Bon Apétit!