Ever loving chemmeen ularthiyathu – Prawn stir fry

Back home in Kerala prawn fry is a must have dish in my mom’s menu for any guests. If she got information about any guest visit, she would desperately wait for the arayathi (woman who sells fish) and would buy at least two kilos of prawn. With that she would always make prawn stir-fry. If the visitors praise her regarding the tastes of her prawn curry she would definitely pack the rest of the curry for them.

Last week some of our family friends gathered together to discuss about Onam celebrations. So I made some prawn fry and it was a great hit there! Everybody asked me about the recipe and I got so thrilled!

Ingredients

1. Prawns (cleaned) - ½ kg
2. Coconut (¼ " squares) - ¼ cup
3. Gamboges (socked in water) - 4 nos
4. Button onions/ shallots (crushed) – 3 nos
5. Ginger (thinly sliced) – 1” long piece
6. Chilli powder - 1tsp
7. Pepper powder - ½ tsp
8. Coriander powder – 2 tsp
9. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
10. Salt - a required
11. Coconut oil - 3 tbsp
12. Curry leaves – a few

Method

1. Mix prawns along with gamboges, ginger, coconut squares and half the amount of chilly and turmeric powders and salt.
2. Add ½ cup water and cook them till done.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add crushed button onion, curry leaves and rest of the powders.
4. Stir continuously till onion and powders are well fried and oil starts to separate from the mixture.
5. Add the cooked prawns and mix well.
6. When all the water is evaporated and curry became dry remove from fire.