Masala prawns

Ingredients:
1 kg large prawns
½ cup oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaf
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
150g tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon fish curry powder
½ to ¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon assam (tamarind)
1 cup water
½ grated coconut, squeezed to extract ½ cup milk
2 red chillies
2 green chillies


Spice mixture to grind together:
10 shallots
10 cloves garlic
1cm piece of ginger
½ teaspoon jintan manis (fennel)
2 peppercorns
15 dried chillies, soaked in hot water till soft


Method:
1. Shell and de-vein prawns. Heat oil in pan. When hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add chopped onions and fry till golden brown and the seeds start popping.

2. Add pounded ingredients and fry until aromatic before adding the chopped tomatoes.

3. Add curry powder and stir-fry for ½ minute before mixing in the salt.

4. Put in the prawns and stir-fry over high heat till they change colour. Cover and simmer gently till nearly cooked.

5. In the meantime, mix the tamarind with the water and squeeze to extract juice. Throw away the seeds.

6. Add the tamarind water to the prawn mixture and boil till the prawns are cooked.

7. The final touch is to add in the coconut milk and boil gently till the oil separates from the gravy. You can add sliced chillies as a garnish.