Chemmeen theeyal - a prawns twist to the traditional Kerala curry

Prawns are exotic and classy. Recipes with prawn are countless. You can turn them out any way you wish. Kebab, vindaloo, roast, fry and what not. With lobsters, prawns and shrimps becoming a part of the Blue Revolution, culinary delights around them too are countless. Here’s a native special, a source of eternal joy to the Malayali- try mouth-watering prawns theeyal with steaming rice for lunch.

Click to read this recipe in Malayalam

Ingredients
500 gm prawns
1 cup shallots
1 tbsp ginger
2 green chillies
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp coriander (seeds)
1 cup scraped coconut
3 onions
3 dry red chillies
Water
1 cup tamarind water
1 tbsp salt

Preparation
Sauté onions in a pan
Add salt, ginger (cut lengthwise) and green chillies
Mix in the red chilli and turmeric powders, keep it aside
Heat coriander seeds in a pan
Now add scraped coconut, shallots and red chillies
Keep on sautéing till the whole mix turns brown
Grind this into a fine paste and add it to the onions set aside
Mix in the required quantity of water and place it on the flame
When the gravy thickens add the tamarind
Into this gravy add the prawns (cleaned and de-veined)
Serve this delicious dish hot