This dish is inspired by a Kerala restaurant that serves “chemmeen puttu”, a steamed, savoury rice-flour cake usually made at home. It takes a lot of time and effort to prepare, so you only find it on rare occasions, but it goes beautifully with a dry or wet prawn curry.

This recipe is just for the prawns. Ask your friends if they are able to make some “puttu” or, alternatively, serve this with a little rice and “sodhy”, a delicious coconut broth found in both Kerala and Sri Lankan cuisine that is often flavoured with turmeric and a hint of lime.

This recipe requires just 20 minutes in all, and it’s the kind of dish best enjoyed as a quick and easy meal with friends and family.

Flavours and pairings

Salty-sweet prawns are offset by the smokiness of fennel and the beautiful roast of fresh curry leaves. The addition of tomato provides a slightly sour note to balance everything out, while the ginger brings an earthy sweetness.

Best served with “puttu” or rice, although it goes surprisingly well with a slice of white bread to mop up all those delicious oils and general goodness.

Ingredients

• 300g prawns, shells removed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• salt
• 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 whole sprig curry leaves
• 1 medium red onion, finely sliced into half moons
• 1 dried red chilli, cut into 3 large pieces
• 1 tomato, grated
• 4cm piece ginger grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel powder

Method

• Marinate the prawns with the turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a frying pan or wok on a medium-high flame. Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil and allow to heat gently. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to pop.
• Add the red onion, 1 sprig of curry leaves (pulled off the stalk), and the dried red chilli. Fry these gently on a low-medium flame until the onions have softened but not caramelised. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add another tablespoon of oil and shallow-fry half of the prawns for 1 minute on either side on medium-high heat. Do this in two batches so as not to crowd the pan.
• Fry well and allow the prawns to gain a good layer of colour and flavour. Repeat with the remaining batch of prawns, then remove and set aside. The prawns should not be fully cooked through at this stage.
• Return the cooked onions to the pan and bring the fire down to a low-medium heat. Add the grated tomato, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric powder and fennel powder. Stir everything together. Add a little salt to taste.
• Cook the masala (spice paste) gently and patiently for 7-8 minutes, or until the oil splits.
• At this stage, return the prawns to the pan and coat well in the mixture.
• Add the remaining sprig of curry leaves and cook on a medium-high heat for a further 2 minutes or until the prawns are cooked through. Serve at once and enjoy!

@theorangesieve serves up recipes from the heart, inspired by travels near and far. It’s all about food that humbly invites you to discover the truth about flavour – the people, the culture and the stories behind them… the kind of food that leaves you with a smile for reasons you can’t quite put your finger on.