King Prawn and Coconut Curry

For a long time, I wouldn't eat prawns. I'd had a bad experience as a teenager when my dad brought prawns back from a business trip to Mozambique. They defrosted in the heat of the car and went off, but he insisted on eating them. I will never forget the pong when I had to cook them for him. For many years I couldn't even abide being in the vicinity of their being cooked, but a couple of years ago my husband persuaded me to try them, after all I love langoustines. So I relented and had a taste.

I can't believe I had spent all those years not having tasted these delicious crustaceans! I blush at the thought of the hostesses I offended when they served prawns and I gave mine to my husband, too fearful to eat them myself. It just goes to show, facing your fear can be such a good move, LOL.

Prawns are an extremely good source of protein, yet are low in fat and calories, making them a healthy food choice, especially if you need to move a few unsightly bulges from whatever unsightly part of your anatomy. Although they allegedly have a high cholesterol content, they are low in saturated fat, which is what raises cholesterol levels in the body, and therefore is bad for you. So there is no need to think you should avoid eating these delectable creatures. apart form the minerals like zinc, potassium, selenium and iron, these crustaceans offer, as well as vitamin B12 in particular, prawns provide a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, protection for the heart, circulation, joints, nerves , the list goes on.

This excellent Bangladeshi curry has a Malay influence in its use of coconut and lime juice. It's ever so quick to prepare and can be made in a hurry when those unexpected visitors drop by. When you can get king prawns, stock up the freezer and wow those guests with a speedy delicious curry.

Ingredients:
2-3 red onions, roughly chopped
2 inches root ginger, roughly chopped
5-6 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
400g large raw peeled prawns
5ml turmeric
5ml salt
50ml vegetable oil
5ml cumin seeds
5ml black mustard seeds
3 -4 bay leaves
10-12 curry leaves
2ml cayenne pepper
2ml mild paprika
150ml water
4 long thin green chillies, slit lengthways
300ml coconut milk
30g fresh coconut, grated (or 30g desiccated coconut)
15ml Garam masala
10ml muscovado sugar
juice of half a lime

Method:
Put the onion, ginger and garlic into a mini blender with a little water and blend to a smooth paste.

Put the prawns in a bowl and toss them with the turmeric and salt. Heat 30ml oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the prawns and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until they show a bit of colour. Remove the prawns from the pan and set aside on a warmed plate.

Add the remaining oil to the pan with the cumin and mustard seeds, the bay and curry leaves and allow them to sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the onion paste, cayenne pepper and paprika and fry gently over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring until the paste is rich and aromatic. Add 150ml water, cover and simmer for 6 minutes, stirring from time to time. Stir in the green chillies and simmer another 4 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and bring back to a simmer. Add the prepared prawns, grated coconut, garam masala and sugar. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the prawns are cooked through and coated with sauce. Stir in the lime juice and serve.