Prawns Roast / Chemmeen Varattiyathu

Ingredients

• ¼ kg prawns
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 green chillies, chopped
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 3 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• A few sprigs of coriander leaves
• 2 cups tamarind juice
• A few sprigs of curry leaves

Preparation

Take the prawns in a bowl, and add a tsp of chilli powder, a little turmeric powder and salt
Mix well with the prawns and marinate for about 5-10 minutes
Heat oil in a pan. (Vegetable oil or coconut oil)
Fry the marinated prawns, and drain them
Keep aside both the fried prawns and the oil
Now the sauce has to be prepared.
In a pan, pour 2 tbsp oil
Add mustard seeds and let them splutter
Put in fenugreek seeds and wait until they pop
Then add the curry leaves
Add the onions and then the green chillies and saute well in low flame
Add the ginger and garlic paste
Soon enough, add the diced tomato
Once the mix is sauteed well, add two tsp chilli powder, 1tsp coriander powder, and ¼ tsp turmeric powder
Take the oil saved after frying the prawns and pour it into the pan
To this, add the tamarind juice
Add enough salt, and let the curry boil
Once this gravy boils and thickens slightly, add the fried prawns to it
Put in the chopped coriander leaves and mix well
Keep in low flame and let it boil for another 2-3 minutes
Chemmeen varattiyathu is ready to be served
Pair it with hot steaming rice or soft rotis.

(Faiza Moosa)