Thirty-Something TCK

Passport & Plate - Goan Prawn Curry

Canada | Wednesday, March 4, 2015 | 6 photos

Ingredients
5tbsp. coconut oil
4tsp. whole coriander
3 tsp. whole cumin
2 tspn. chilli powder
400ml coconut milk
150g shallot
2 cloves garlic
4 tbsp tamarind pulp, soak in warm water
15g jaggery (gurr)
500g raw king prawns, cleaned and de-veined
5 sprigs fresh coriander
to taste salt

 

How to prepare this recipe
1) Grind fresh coriander and cumin in a coffee grinder.
2) Brunoise (very fine dice) the shallots.
2) Heat coconut oil and sweat the shallots.
3) Add crushed garlic.
4) Add ground cumin, coriander, chilli powder and salt. Mix well continuously 2-3 minutes.
5) Strain tamarind pulp into pan.
6) Add jaggery, mixing well as it dissolves.
7) Add the coconut milk, bring mixture to boil and reduce theheat to simmer till the sauce has thickened to a desired consistency.
8) Add prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes till opaque.
9) Check and adjust seasoning.
10) Serve immediately, it's best with basmati rice, cucumber salad and crisp papad. Garnish with chiffonade of fresh coriander.

 

The story behind this recipe
Goan Prawn Curry is a dish which has traveled with me from my childhood in Dubai to my teens in Auckland and through to adulthood in Canada. As a Third Culture Kid, moving around a lot has meant that I’ve been exposed to many cultures and cuisines, but its also meant that I’ve clung to my Indian roots, and food is where I’m most myself. I first made Goan prawn curry with my mother around the age of 12. She was an excellent cook and wonderful hostess. My parents would throw the most elaborate parties with good friends, drinks and food. When I was 16 my father re-married a Goan woman who is also a fabulous cook. She brought a different meaning to this dish with stories about Goan beach-life. When I moved out on my own for university at the age of 20, Goan fish curry was one of the first dishes I made and it’s still a quick-fix when friends drop by. It wasn’t until I was 29 that I visited Goa and enjoyed prawn curry in a hut on a deserted beach with beer, and blaring electronic music. I recently completed a 10-week stage at The Oberoi Hotel, Gurgaon. While in their specialty coastal restaurant amaranta I learned about this dish from a professional point of viiew, and was exposed to new ingredients. This recipe is my own version, made from all the variations I have tried. Its sweet ‘n sour flavour is perfect with a crisp glass of Riesling in the summer, or after a neat scotch during winter. Most people think about butter chicken, chicken-tikka masala or palak paneer when they think about Indian food. I grew up eating these dishes but to me Punjabi food is the least interesting of India’s regional cuisines. South Indian food, including Goan cuisine, is much fresher with flavours which pop through, unmasked by cream and red chilli powder. This Goan prawn curry will always be a favourite, it’s one many a heart of those closest to me, and I think the world should know about it.