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Durban prawn curry
Durban prawn curry: quick prawns in a hot tomato gravy with curry leaves and mustard seeds
Durban's beachfront takeaways and Indian family kitchens along the North Coast make prawn curry fast: the gravy of tomato, red masala, mustard seeds and curry leaves is cooked first, and the prawns go in only for the last few minutes. The result is a tangy, fiery red sauce with sweet, juicy prawns, lighter and sharper than a slow meat curry. Serve it with white rice or soft rotis and a wedge of lemon. Overcooking is the big mistake: prawns turn rubbery within a minute or two of being done, so take the pot off as soon as they are pink and opaque all the way through. Chef's tip: thaw frozen prawns overnight in the fridge and pat them very dry, or their water thins the gravy.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb raw king prawnspeeled and deveined, tails on if you like
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 20 curry leaves
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 2 tbsp Durban red masala (hot)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes1 tin, or 4 ripe tomatoes, grated
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Pat 1 ⅓ lb raw king prawns dry, toss with ½ tsp ground turmeric and ⅓ tsp salt and keep them covered in the fridge while you make the gravy.
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan over a medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp black mustard seeds and, when they start to pop, ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds and 20 curry leaves; let them crackle for a few seconds without burning.
Step 3: Add 1 onion and cook over a medium heat until soft and golden.
6 minStep 4: Stir in 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fresh ginger and 2 green chillies for 1 minute, then add 2 tbsp Durban red masala (hot) and 1 tsp ground coriander with a splash of water and stir for 30 seconds.
1 minStep 5: Add 14 oz chopped tomatoes, ½ tsp sugar, ½ cup water and the rest of 0.9 tsp salt. Simmer, stirring now and then, until the gravy is thick and oil starts to separate at the edges.
8 minStep 6: Add the prawns in a single layer and cook, turning once, until they curl and are pink and opaque all the way through, with no grey left in the middle.
4 minStep 7: Take the pan off the heat straight away, stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice and scatter with 3 tbsp fresh coriander. Serve at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does durban prawn curry take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of black mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
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