Prawns/Shrimps Cooked With Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• 700 g medium prawns
• 30 ml whole coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 5 ml whole black peppercorns
• 10 dried curry leaves
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 75 ml vegetable oil
• 5 ml black mustard seeds
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into half-rings (In half, then sliced)
• 5 garlic cloves, slivered
• 5 ml freshly grated gingerroot
• 30 ml paprika
• 4 ml powdered cayenne pepper
• 2 1/2 ml ground turmeric
• 4 ml salt
• 3 whole fresh hot green chili peppers
• 400 ml unsweetened coconut milk

Directions

1. 1

   Devein the prawns and pat them dry. Cover and refrigerate.

2. 2

   Heat a small, 5-inch/12.5cm, cast iron frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the coriander seed, fenugreek seeds and peppercorns. Stir for about a minute, or until lightly roasted. Remove them from the heat, then grind them very finely, along with the dried curry leaves.

3. 3

   Heat the oil in a 10-inch frying pan over medium flame. When hot, add the mustard seeds. As soon as they being to pop, put in the fresh curry leaves. Stir and fry until they are lightly browned. Add the ginger and cook for another few seconds, stirring.

4. 4

   Add 450 ml of the water, and the paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, whole chillies, lemon juice and ground spice mixture. Bring to a boil.

5. 5

   Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer vigorously for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. (This sauce base may now be kept for several hours if needed.)

6. 6

   Five minutes before you want to eat, heat the sauce in the pan over a fairly high flame until it starts to bubble. Add all of the prawns. Stir them around until they just turn opaque, then stir in the coconut milk. Keep stirring until the coconut milk is heated through and the mixture begins to bubble again. Turn off the heat and serve.