This easy and delicious recipe was adapted from BBC Good Food. I found the original a tad too rich. I was short on the coconut, so I lightened it up considerably. I also added some red chillies to suit my Desi taste buds and followed a slightly different procedure. I blended the toasted coconut with the tamarind paste and used that paste to thicken the curry. I also marinated the prawns and lightly fried them before adding them into the curry. The result was a lip-smacking, sweet, sour, spicy and moreish curry. This one-pot recipe is a good meal option for busy weeknights. It is best paired with steamed white/brown rice.

Recipe

Prawn and Pineapple Penang Curry

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

24 large prawns, cleaned and deveined
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
4 tbsp coconut oil, divided
1/2 cup fresh coconut flesh, finely grated
2 dried byadgi/Kashmiri chillies
1’ cinnamon stick
1 small star anise
3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
6 cloves
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 heaped tsp ginger-garlic paste
8-10 fresh curry leaves
1½ tbsp mild curry powder
Water as needed
3 tbsp tamarind paste (homemade or store bought)
5 pineapple slices, cut into chunks (I used canned pineapple but fresh will also work)
1 tbsp powdered jaggery or brown sugar (more if needed)
1/4 cup full-fat (thick) coconut milk (canned or fresh)
2 tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish

Method

In a bowl, marinate the prawns with the turmeric, red chilli powder and 1/4 tsp salt for 15 minutes.

In a frying pan, heat 2 tsp of oil over medium-low heat. Add the grated coconut and toast it slowly, stirring until it turns an even brown. Add the dried red chillies and continue to toast until they change color. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Once cooled, transfer to a blender along with the tamarind paste. Blend it into a smooth paste, adding some water if needed.

In the same frying pan, heat another tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Flash fry the marinated prawns on both sides until they change color and curl up. Remove and set aside for later.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok/Dutch oven. Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom pods and cloves. Fry until fragrant, then add the onion and curry leaves. Sauté until the onions start to brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir until the raw smell disappears.

Make a loose paste by mixing 1/4 cup of water with the curry powder. Add this to the pot and continue to stir over low heat until the oil separates.

When the oil floats to the top, add the coconut and tamarind paste. Pour some water into the blender and pulse it briefly to loosen up any remaining paste. Add that into the curry as well. Season with salt and cook for 5 minutes.

Next, add the pineapple pieces and sugar. The quantity of the sugar will depend upon the sourness of the tamarind. Taste the curry and add more if needed.

When the mixture starts to boil, add the fried prawns. Continue to cook for 5 more minutes, then stir in the coconut milk. Lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes.

Taste and adjust the salt as needed, garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve hot.