Spicy Prawns(Shrimp) Curry/ Chemmeen Mulakittathu

       This is a delicious Malabar Style Prawns Curry... I bet the people who love spice will surely love this recipe! This curry gives a delicate balance of sour, tangy, and spicy taste for your prawns.....

       In this shrimp/prawns curry, the gravy mix imparts a deep color & gives a magical touch to the curry the very second day...Even without refrigeration..Just boiled it once at night...Yes, its true !!..we experienced it...It was just felt like a normal tasty prawns curry the first day...but the second day, it was something really different..couldn't stop ourselves from having more !! The prawns were enriched with the flavourful gravy which was a real treat for our taste buds...Give it a try !!

Ingredients

1.Prawns (Konju/Chemmeen)-1 kg (20-25)
2.Tomato-2 (large...chopped)
3.Onion-2 (medium...sliced)
4.Ginger- 2 tsp (thin slices)
5.Garlic-1 tbsp (thin/thick slices)
6.Green chilly-2 (slit into halves)
7.Tamarind Pulp (soak tamarind seeds in water & squeeze its juice)
8.Curry leaves-2 springs
9.Turmeric powder-1/4 or 1/2 tsp (according to the color reqd.)
10.Chilly powder-1 tsp or more
11.Salt
12.Oil-2 tbsp
13.Water-1 cup
14.Cornflour/Raw Rice flour -1 tbsp (optional)
15.Fenugreek seeds (uluva)- 1/2 tsp (optional)

Preparation

~Clean the prawns very well (de-shelled, de-veined)& drain them & keep it aside.
~Heat oil in a large kadai(Indian wok) or chatti (clay pot) in medium heat.
~Add fenugreek seeds & wait its color starts to change, reduce flame.

~Saute ginger, garlic, green chilly & 1 spring curry leaves for 1 min in medium flame.

~Add onions with salt & saute till they become transparent.

~Add turmeric powder & chilly powder & cook for 1 min.
~Now add the tomatoes & cover with a lid & saute till they become mushy.(stir occassionally) 

~Pour little tamarind pulp with the prawns & mix well & cover the lid & cook for 2 mins.(stir occassionally)

~Now add 1 cup water & combine them well & allow it to boil with the lid over.
~Combine combine cornflour/raw rice flour with very little water with a spoon.
~Pour this mix to the boiling curry..(just to give the curry a thicker consistency)
~Check its taste & adjust salt, tamarind pulp & chilly powder accordingly.
~Cook for 15- 20 mins...till the prawns get cooked...(if those are large in size....else it should be done within 10-15 minutes)
~Add 1 spring of curry leaves at the end & off the flame.
~Leave aside the curry closed for 15 mins.
~Its more tastier if used the very next day...(even without refrigerating..just boil it once at night..)

Just couldn't resist the taste of prawns in this wonderfully hot n sour gravy !!!