Parsi Prawn Curry

The 69,000 strong Parsi community of India is special indeed!

 Apart from contributing so much to trade and economy they have added a sense of honesty to business for centuries!

And more importantly they have shown us how to make eggs in a hundred ways .....given us iconic dishes like Salli boti, Patrani Macchi , Dhansak and more , each of these stunning dishes is a celebration of fusion of Persian cooking with Gujrati cooking techniques  !

Like all Indian cultures, the Parsi way of life is one of assimilation. Their language, customs, food are a combination of Persian and Gujarati traditions. 

We love Parsis for their generosity, idiosyncrasies,prominent noses, great hospitality , love for the good things in life- food, alcohol, travel,western classical music , a passion for two-wheelers , a rollicking sense of humour and for making Bombay a great city!

I am lucky to have know N for so many years....she is a great cook who knows so much about every day home style Parsi food.


          


This curry is my favorite , its fool proof and my go to recipe for fish and prawns!

And I must mention this is N's aunts recipe!

 So this  is Freny Mamis Parsi Prawn Curry...
 SERVES 2 

300 g prawns de-veined , washed 

For the curry powder 

White sesame seeds 1.5 tablespoons
Coriander seeds 1.5 tablespoons
Poppy seeds 1.5 tablespoons
Cumin seeds 1 tablespoon
Kashmiri whole dried chillies 7-8 (with seeds removed )

1 tomato
1 onion
7-8 cloves of garlic
A few curry leaves

25g maggi coconut milk powder packet diluted in 1.5 cups of water 
OR
1.5 cups coconut milk fresh or from a can

Lemon juice and coriander leaves to garnish 

2 tablespoons oil (refined oil)

PROCEDURE

Dry roast the ingredients together mentioned under Curry powder on a hot griddle/tawa for 2-3 minutes on very low heat . Once they are just a little toasted cool and blend to a powder in a blender.
Then add the tomato, onion and garlic cloves into the blender and blend with the curry powder to obtain a curry paste.

In  a pan heat some oil , add curry leaves and cook the curry paste for 5-10 minutes . Then add the prepared coconut milk and let it come to a 
boil.

Add prawns cook for a further 5 minutes till prawns are cooked,dont over cook prawns. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and some coriander leaves.

Serve with steamed rice!