Asma Khan's Tamarind Prawns
This dish needs to be made with raw shelled prawns or shrimp. Asma usually makes this dish using tiger prawns, but you can use any kind of prawn or shrimp. Whatever size you choose, be mindful that you do not overcook them. Prawns or shrimp will continue to cook in their residual heat, so do not cook them until they are done all the way through. Take them off the heat when they are three- quarters done and stir to finish the cooking. This way, they will stay succulent. This is a tangy, spicy dish that is ideally served with rice. Avoid using ready-made tamarind concentrate for this dish. Most South and East Asian grocery stores will have dried tamarind pulp. If you must use concentrate from a jar, add it sparingly and taste before adding more.
Ingredients
Method
- Soak the tamarind in a cup of warm water for at least 30 minutes. Occasionally rub the tamarind to ensure the water is penetrating.
- Place the prawns or shrimp on a plate and rub with 4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon of the turmeric. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a deep saucepan over a medium- high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and fry, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Once the onions look golden, carefully remove with a slotted spoon and spread on a plate to cool. Make sure you remove all the onions, as small pieces left behind will burn and make the gravy taste bitter. Once the onions are cooled, grind them to a paste in a blender and set aside. If the oil left in the saucepan looks like less than you may need, add a further 2 tablespoons (if in doubt, add more oil, as excess oil will separate from the gravy and can be left behind when serving).
- Bring the oil back up to shimmering, and add the fennel seeds followed by the dried red chiles. Stir for a minute until the chiles darken, then add the ginger and garlic pastes and stir for a couple of minutes. If anything is sticking, spray with cold water to deglaze the pan. Once the aroma of raw garlic is gone, add the remaining turmeric, chili powder, ground coriander, and cumin.
- Stir for a minute until the turmeric loses its raw aroma, then add the raw prawns (leave behind any of the liquid that will have collected on the plate), and stir to coat with the spices. Cook over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add the onion paste and keep stirring for a few minutes until all the prawns are pink.
- Strain the tamarind pulp through a sieve and add to the pan with a pinch of sugar. Stir, then remove from the heat. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with the fresh grated coconut and serve.
- If you do not plan to eat the prawns immediately, and do not want the heat and flavors of the chillies to intensify, remove all the whole red chillies now and set aside.
