CHETINNAD PRAWN KUZHAMBU

As a Chennaian I must know about prawn cooking else it is like a sin!! And I cannot be forgiven.

Yes !! As many must know Chennai ranks first in prawn exports and you will get very good quality of prawns that’s too in reasonable price here.I always love sea food so I love cooking sea food also.

Whenever we buy fish we buy prawns also I will cook something spicy with it and eat it next day J.

Todays recipe is CHETTINAD PRAWN KUZHAMBU , Chettinad recipes are always tangy , spicy , aromatic with fresh ground spices and are lip smacking  that no one can hate them , So this prawn kuzhambu also.

The recipe is as below,

RECIPE SOURCE : INDIANKHANA.NET (altered as per my taste)

SERVINGS : 3 members.

INGREDIENTS :

Prawns – ½ kg.

Onion – 1 big

Tomato – 3 (medium sized )

Gingelly Oil – 3 tsp

Mustard – 1 /2 tsp

Salt – as required

coriander leaves – a bunch

Curry leaves -  few

TO ROAST AND GRIND :

Cumin seeds (jeera) – 1/2 tsp.

Fennel seeds ( Sombu) – ½ tsp

Poppy seeds – ½ tsp

Fenugreek seeds ( vendhayam) – ¼ tsp

Coriander seeds – 4 tsp

Pepper (milagu) – ½ tsp

Dry red chillies – 2 to 3 nos.

Cinnamon / Pattai– 3 pcs (2 cm pieces).

Cloves / Krambu – 4 nos.

Cardamom – 1 no.

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Ginger – 3” piece – 1 nos.

Garlic – 10 pods.

FOR MARINATING PRAWNS :

Salt  - 1 tsp.

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Chilli powder – 1 tsp.

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PREPARATION :

1) Chop Onions and tomatoes to small pieces.

2) Clean and wash prawns 4 to 5 times well , and marinate with salt , turmeric powder and chilli powder.Let them rest for 1 hour.

3) In the mean time dry roast our roasting ingredients – Cumin , fennel , fenugreek , poppy seeds , coriander seeds , cinnamon , cardamom , cloves , ginger  , garlic , pepper , turmeric powder in a kadai and grind them to little coarse powder.

4) Heat gingelly oil in kadai , add mustard and when it splutters add curry leaves followed by onions and fry till trasulent.Then add tomatoes and saute till mushy.

5) Now add the ground masala and fry for 5 mins till the masala sautes well.

6) When your masala fries well and nice aroma comes add prawns , salt , 1 cup of water and close the pan .Let the mixture boil for 5 more mins till the prawns are cooked.

7) When the prawns are cooked and gravy reaches required consistency garnish with coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

8) Serve hot with Rice , Idli , Dosa,chapathi , Roti,Pulka of your choice.

NOTES :

1) The consistency of gravy is purely your choice , if you want it to be in kuzhambu consistency add water , else the water content in prawn itself is enough for cooking prawns.

2) Use gingelly oil to get actual chettinad taste.

3) Prawns take only 5 mins to cook so don't over cook.overcooking makes your prawns rubbery.

HAPPY COOKING!!!!