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Prawns Masala

Succulent prawns in a spiced onion-tomato gravy — red chilli heat, garam masala warmth, curry leaves, and lemon to finish.

Succulent prawns in a spiced onion-tomato gravy. Red chilli heat, garam masala warmth, curry leaves and fennel, and lemon at the end to lift the whole thing.

A weeknight curry that tastes like a Sunday one, and it is on the table in under twenty minutes of actual cooking.

Method

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What goes wrong, and why

• Rubbery prawns. Overcooked. Four to five minutes in the first fry, five at the end, and no more.
• Watery gravy. The tomatoes had not cooked down. Wait for the oil to separate at the edges before adding water.
• Raw masala taste. The powdered spices were not given their half minute in the oil before the tomatoes went in.
• Fishy smell. The marinade needs its 10–15 minutes, and the black pepper and lemon are not optional.

Serve it with

Steamed rice, jeera rice, chapati or naan. Coconut rice or a paratha if you want it richer, and a squeeze of lemon at the table either way.

Watch us make it

The gravy consistency at the moment the prawns go back in is the thing to copy.