Prawn karahi
جھینگا کڑاہی (jhinga karahi): Karachi prawns tossed with tomato, garlic and green chilli
Karachi's fishing harbour supplies the city's seafood restaurants on Sea View and in Clifton, and prawn karahi is the quick, fiery dish people order there for a Saturday dinner by the sea: prawns tossed through a tomato, garlic and green chilli masala in a blazing wok, eaten with naan or plain rice. The tomato breaks down into a thick, tangy coating that clings to each prawn, sharpened with lemon and coriander. Prawns that are rubbery and tight are the usual let-down; they need only 3–4 minutes once the sauce is ready, so add them last. Contains shellfish. Chef's tip: fry the prawn shells in the oil first for 2 minutes, then lift them out: the oil takes on a rich, sweet prawn flavour.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb raw king prawnspeeled and deveined, shells kept
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- ½ oz fresh gingergrated
- 4 tomatoeschopped
- 1 ½ tsp red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 green chilliesslit
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ oz fresh corianderchopped
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Check 1 ⅛ lb raw king prawns: discard any that smell sour or of ammonia. Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a karahi over a medium-high heat, add the shells and fry for 2 minutes until pink and fragrant, then lift them out and discard.
3 minStep 2: Add 5 cloves garlic and ½ oz fresh ginger to the flavoured oil and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
1 minStep 3: Add 4 tomatoes, 1 ½ tsp red chilli flakes, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Cook over a high heat, crushing the tomatoes, for 8–9 minutes until thick and glossy and the oil separates.
9 minStep 4: Add the prawns and 4 green chillies and toss for 3–4 minutes until every prawn has turned pink, curled into a loose C and is opaque all the way through.
4 minStep 5: Off the heat, add 1 tbsp lemon juice and ½ oz fresh coriander and serve at once with naan or rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does prawn karahi take?
- About 28 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 18 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 garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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