Royyala iguru
Thick prawn curry
Royyala iguru (రొయ్యల ఇగురు) — coastal Andhra's thick, clinging prawn masala
Along the coastal Andhra delta, where the Godavari meets the sea near Kakinada and Bhimavaram, prawns come in fresh every morning and often end up as iguru. The word means cooked down: the onion-chilli masala is reduced until it clings to the prawns, with only a spoonful of sauce left in the pan. It goes onto hot rice with ghee, alongside sambar or pappu, and is a favourite in Telugu homes on weekends. Chef's tip: cook the masala fully first and add the prawns only for the last few minutes, so they stay plump.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb large raw prawnspeeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 3 green chilliesslit
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tomatofinely chopped
- 1 ½ tsp hot red chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves (optional)chopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (7)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅛ lb large raw prawns with half of ½ tsp ground turmeric and a pinch of the 1 tsp salt and keep them in the fridge while you make the masala.
2 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and 1 sprig curry leaves and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
1 minStep 3: Add 2 onions and 3 green chillies and fry for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until the onions are soft and golden brown.
12 minStep 4: Add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute. Add 1 tomato, the rest of the turmeric and salt, 1 ½ tsp hot red chilli powder and 1 tsp ground coriander and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until it becomes a thick paste with oil at the edges.
7 minStep 5: Add the prawns and 2–3 tbsp water and toss over a medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes until they turn pink and opaque all the way through and curl into a loose C. Common mistake: cooking them until they curl into a tight O — that means they are overcooked and rubbery.
5 minStep 6: Sprinkle with ½ tsp garam masala and toss for 30 seconds until the masala clings. Scatter with 2 tbsp coriander leaves and serve straight away.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does royyala iguru take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 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 cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Moreton Bay bugsSlipper lobster with garlic butter
Moreton Bay bugs are the flat, shovel-nosed slipper lobsters caught off the Queensland coast around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, and for Queenslanders they are a summer treat, split and grilled at the beach house. The tail meat is sweet and rich, somewhere between lobster and prawn. Buy them raw, frozen or fresh, from a fishmonger and ask them to halve them if you like. A common mistake is overcooking, which makes the meat rubbery; it is ready the moment it turns white. Chef's tip: grill flesh side down first to mark it, then turn and baste in the shell.
Australian
Sabudana khichdiSago with peanuts and potato
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
Bagara bainganBaby aubergines in peanut sesame sauce
Bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi wedding dish of small aubergines cooked whole in a dark, tangy gravy of roasted peanuts, sesame, dried coconut and tamarind. Unlike a Gujarati stuffed brinjal, the aubergines here are only quartered at the base and fried until silky, then left to soak up a thin-but-rich sauce that is finished with a tempering, the 'baghar' that gives the dish its name. It's sour, nutty and gently spiced, and is served with biryani, bagara rice or plain rice. Chef's tip: choose small, glossy purple aubergines that feel heavy for their size; soft, light ones are full of seeds and turn mushy before the gravy has a chance to cling.