Prawn Masala
Delicious prawn masala is one of my favorite. It is easy to make and taste pretty delicious with literally anything starting from rice, chapati, roti, or paratha. This is my favorite dish along with prawn thokku.
About Prawn Masala
Masala is a term used in Indian cooking. Cook onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic in oil flavoured with whole spices, spice powders like chilli, coriander, turmeric, cumin and make into a thick sauce like consistency which is called as masala. Prawn masala or shrimp masala is a popular South Indian recipe which is also made in many parts of Kerala. Marinate Prawns with spice powders, ginger and garlic. Cook marinated prawns in coconut oil for few minutes. Make a basic masala with onions, tomatoes and spices and add in cooked prawns. This is a quick recipe which is made in less than 30 mins. Actually prawns takes only few minutes to cook. The only time consuming bit is making the masala. Taste and balance the spices in the masala which makes this dish taste perfect.
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Prawn Masala Ingredients
Coconut Oil - This dish taste great when cooked in coconut oil. The aroma of coconut oil pairs well with prawns. Prawns | Shrimp - use small to medium size prawns in this recipe which absorbs the masala better and taste great. Whole spices - spices like cinnamon, fennel, cardamom is used to flavour the masala. It also reduces the smell from the shrimp. Onions - Onions is chopped fine in this recipe which literally disintegrates into the masala. Instead of onions, you can use chopped shallots. Green Chillies - This recipe has chilli powder also. so adjust green chilli accordingly. Tomato - Tomatoes can be pureed and used or chop it pretty finely. Ginger Garlic Paste - equal amount of ginger and garlic made into a coarse paste is added in masala and marination. Spice Powders - chilli, coriander, turmeric, garam masala powder, and black pepper powder are the base spices used in masala and marination.
Prawn Masala in 3 Easy Steps
Marination & Frying Prawns
Take cleaned prawn in a bowl, add all the marination ingredients in it and mix well. Let it sit for 10 mins. Now heat oil in a kadai. Add the marinated prawns and toss well in the oil. Let it cook for 5 to 7 mins till it is cooked, turns pink and curls. Remove the prawns alone in a bowl leaving any of the juices in the kadai.
Making Masala Base
In the same oil, add in cinnamon, fennel seeds and cook for a min. Add in onions, curry leaves and green chillies. Now add in ginger garlic paste, salt, spice powders and mix well for a min. Add in tomatoes and mix well. Cook covered for 5 mins or so on a low heat till it turns mushy.
Making Prawn Masala
Now increase the heat and add some water and mix well. Add the cooked prawns and mix well. Cook for 5 mins or so. Serve with rice or roti.
How to Make Prawn Masala (Stepwise Pictures)
Marinate Prawns
1)Peel the shell and head from whole prawns, devein and rinse prawns. Squeeze excess water from the prawns and take the cleaned prawns in a bowl. 2)Add in ginger and garlic paste. I like to take equal amount of ginger, garlic in a blender and crush them into a coarse paste without adding water. 3)Add in salt, spice powders. I used turmeric, chilli, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and black pepper powder in the marination. 4)Mix the spices into the prawns really well. You can let it marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Cooking Prawns
5)Heat coconut oil in a kadai. If you don’t prefer coconut oil, you can use any oil. Add in the marinated prawns. 6)Saute prawns in coconut oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t over cook, because we will be cooking it again in the masala. 7)Once prawn is half cooked, remove it to a plate.
Making masala
8)Now we will be using the remaining oil which is in the kadai. it is full of flavour so don’t discard. 9)Add in whole spices. I am using fennel seeds, cardamom and cinnamon. Let the spices sizzle in oil for 1 minute. 10)Add in finely chopped onions, curry leaves and green chillies. Make sure you chop them really fine. 12)Mix the onions for couple of minutes. The raw smell should leave. 13)Add in ginger garlic paste. Saute for 2 minutes till it gets aromatic. 14)Add in salt and mix well. 15)Now add in spice powders. this is the same mix of spice which i used in marination. It has chilli powder, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and black pepper powder. 16)Once spice powders is added, saute it for 1 minute to remove the raw smell from it. 17)Add in finely chopped tomatoes. 18)Mix the tomatoes into the masala. 19)Cover the kadai with a lid and cook on low heat for 5 minutes till the tomatoes get mushy. 20)Add a splash of water to make the masala. 21)Once the water is added, mix it with the onion tomato masala.
Making Prawn Masala
22)Add in cooked prawns into the masala. 23)Mix the prawns into the masala. 24)Cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes till combined. 25)Serve
Expert Tips
You can marinate the prawns overnight in fridge. Don’t over cook the prawns else it may get rubbery. You can taste and adjust the seasoning in the masala. Add a squeeze of lemon juice in the end to add a fresh taste. Freshly crushed Black pepper powder can be added in the end for fresh peppery taste.
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