Prawn Curry - Bengali Style

 

Prawns are cooked in almost every corner of the world and in different styles. Prawns, when cooked well, tastes delicious. Here is a simple recipe of prawn, cooked in Bengali style.

Ingredients (serves 2):
 
  1. Prawn (5-6 inches length): 500 gms
  2. Potato: 1 medium size
  3. Onion paste: 2 tbs
  4. Garlic paste: 1 tsp
  5. Ginger paste: 1 tsp
  6. Tomato puree: 1 tsp
  7. Turmeric (Haldi) powder: ¾ tsp
  8. Red chili powder: ½ tsp
  9. Garam masala powder: ½ tsp
  10. Bay leaf: 1 no
  11. Salt: To taste
  12. Mustard oil: 4 tbs
  13. Boiled water: 1 cup
Preparing the prawn for cooking:
 
Cleaning the prawn before cooking is important. We suggest to remove the head and the shell, and then the black vein that runs across the back of prawn.  
 
Twist the head to remove it and then lift the shell upwards and take that away from the body of the prawn. Once the shell is removed, you should be able to see the black vein. Use a sharp thin knife to slit open the skin along the back, near the black vein, and pull it out. Wash the prawn under running water.
 
Procedure:
  1. Marinate the cleaned and washed prawns with turmeric powder and a pinch of salt, and keep aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Cut potato into ½ inch cubes and marinate with a pinch of salt.
  3. Heat the oil in a wok till smoke comes out.
  4. Lower heat and fry the prawns in two batches. Control the heat as required. Colour of prawns should be light brown after frying.
  5. Take out prawns from oil with a slotted spoon and keep in a dry bowl.
  6. Fry potatoes lightly in the same oil and keep them with fried prawns.
  7. Lower the flame to minimum, add bay leaf, onions paste and saute for 2 minutes on low flame.
  8. Add garlic paste, fry for  approximately 20 seconds.
  9. Add turmeric powder and red chili powder, fry for 2 minutes.
  10. Add ginger paste, cook for 2 minutes, till the oil leaves sides.
  11. Add tomato puree, continue cooking on medium flame till all the spices are mixed well.
  12. Add fried prawns and fried potatoes to the spices and cook for 1 minute.
  13. Add the boiled water.
  14. Cook till prawns and potatoes become tender.
  15. Dry excess water.
  16. Turn off the flame.
  17. Add garam masala powder and cover the wok.
  18. Serve with steamed rice or chapati.
Tips:
  1. Do not over fry the prawns.
  2. While cooking the powdered spices, add 1 tsb of water to prevent burning.
  3. You can use vegetable oil instead of mustard oil.
  4. You may use pressure cooker to cook the prawn. Bring it to full steam, lower the flame, cook for 5 minutes, turn off the flame and wait till the lid of the pressure cooker can be taken off.
 
 
 

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