Malabar style prawn curry

Malabar-style prawn curry comes from the Malabar Coast in the southern Indian state of
Kerala, known for its lush coconut groves and spice-rich cuisine. This dish features prawns
simmered in a fragrant, coconut milk-based sauce with spices like turmeric, mustard seeds,
curry leaves, and green chilli. It’s gently spiced, aromatic, and typically enjoyed with rice — a
comforting and flavourful taste of coastal India.

Recipe by Dame Radhika Howarth @radikalkitchen

Serves 4
Preparation time 15 min – clean prawns and prepare vegetables.
Cooking time – 25-30 minutes

Ingredients
500 gm prawns, shelled and deveined.
 3 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil
2 tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
10-12 curry leaves
2 onions finely sliced.
2 green chillies, slit in half.
6-8 garlic cloves, crushed.
½ can tomatoes. blended.
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
1 can coconut milk, 400 gm or 1 tbsp malt vinegar
One golf size ball of tamarind; soak in half cup water or 2 tbsp malt vinegar
2 cups of water
15 gm, coriander, chopped for garnish

Method

1. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom saucepan on a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds
   and let them splutter.
2. Now add the fenugreek seeds, half the curry leaves and the sliced onions. Fry for a
   minute and add the green chillies. Continue to fry for 8-10 minutes over a medium
   heat until the onions begin to change colour to a light brown.
3. Add the garlic and stir for another minute or so. 
4. Now add the tomatoes and continue to cook until they soften for 6 minutes. Add ½
   cup water and continue to cook until the tomatoes change colour. Lower the heat and
   simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Add the turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Cook for a further minute making sure
   the gravy is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add half cup of water to the mix.
6. Now add the prawns and cook over a low heat for 6-7 minutes with the lid on stirring
   halfway through. Add the remaining water to the gravy.
7. Now add the coconut milk, remaining curry leaves, and bring to boil.
8. Lower the heat. Squeeze the tamarind pulp to extract thick paste and add to the
   curry. Simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
10. Serve with steaming rice.