PRAWN BALCHAO

A Goan speciality – king prawns cooked in a flavourful and spicy masala. Preparation Time : 20 minutes Cooking Time : 30 minutes Servings : 4

Ingredients

Prawns (kolambi/jhinga) 2 cups Turmeric powder 1 tablespoon Salt to taste Coriander seeds 1 tablespoon Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon Whole dry red chillies 8 Cinnamon 1 inch stick Cloves Black peppercorns 15 Garlic 12 cloves Ginger 1 inch piece Oil 1/2 cup Onions, chopped 6 medium Tomatoes, chopped 6 medium Tomato sauce 1 cup Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1/2 cup

Method

Shell and de-vein the prawns. Wash them thoroughly under running water and drain. Apply turmeric powder and salt to the prawns and keep aside for fifteen minutes. Grind coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, garlic and ginger to a fine paste. Heat oil and deep-fry the prawns till brown. Drain and keep aside. Saute onions in the same oil till they become soft. Add ground masala paste and fry until the mixture begins to give off a nice aroma. Add tomatoes and fry for a few seconds. Add salt and fried prawns. Cover the pan and cook for five minutes. Add tomato sauce, mix slowly and well. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with bread.