Ingredients

Method

• For the curry paste:
• 2 t dried chillies
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 t whole peppercorns
• 1 T coriander seeds
• 2 t cumin seeds
• ½ t tamarind paste
• ½ t ground turmeric
• 25 g desiccated coconut
• ¾ cup coconut milk cup
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T butter
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 T grated ginger
• 20 jumbo prawns, cleaned and deveined
• 1 t chilli powder
• salt, to taste
• 6 curry leaves
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped (or ½ cup canned tomatoes with the juice)
• basmati rice, cooked, for serving
• poppadoms, for serving
• cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced, for serving
• green chilli, sliced, for serving
• mint, for serving
• lime juice, for serving

Method

Ingredients

1. Using a mortar and pestle, combine all the paste ingredients except the coconut milk and grind until fine.

2. Pour the paste into a medium-sized bowl, add the coconut milk, stir to combine, then set aside.

3. Melt the olive oil and butter in a saucepan, then add the onion and sauté for 5–7 minutes over a medium heat until it starts to brown. Add the ginger and cook until fragrant.

4. Toss in the curry paste, allow to come to a gentle simmer, then add the prawns, chilli powder, salt, curry leaves and tomatoes.

5. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally.

Serve with the rice, poppadoms, cucumber, chilli, mint and lime juice.

Cook's note: Don’t compromise on quality – always use the best prawns (or shrimp if prawns aren’t available). Make sure to devein the prawns, even if it means cracking the shell open before cooking them

“We always have one fi sh dish for our Eid lunch, and prawn curry is my aunt Nurjehan’s speciality. This beautiful, flavourful curry is quite light, so you’ll have no problem enjoying the other mains afterwards!”

Find more Ramadan and Eid recipes here.

Photograph: Jan Ras

Production: Jacqueline Burgess

Food assistant: Sophia-Maria Eygelaar