Prawns stewed in a creamy coconut sauce along with whole spices.

You need –

• Prawns – 500 grams
• Shallots, finely sliced – ½ cup
• Green chili – 3-4 or per taste
• Garlic, thinly sliced – 1 tablespoon
• Ginger thinly sliced – 1 tablespoon
• Tomato – 2 medium, finally chopped
• Coriander powder – 2 teaspoons
• Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
• Meat Masala – 2 teaspoons (i used Eastern Kerala meat masala)
• Kerala Garam masala powder – 1/2  teaspoon
• Pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Thick Coconut milk – ½ cup
• Thin coconut milk – 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves – 2 twigs
• Coconut oil – as required
• Whole spices –
  • Green cardamom – 4 nos
  • Cinnamon – 1 stick
  • Black pepper corns– 6
  • Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon

How to –

Peel and devein the prawns, wash well and set aside.

In a earthenware/meen chatti or a heavy bottom pan, add about a tablespoon of oil and fry the whole spices till fragrant. Add the curry leaves, ginger and garlic and sauté  for a few seconds. Add the chopped shallots and cook till translucent.

Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, meat masala powder and saute till the oil starts to separate. Add the chopped tomatoes reserving  about 2-3 slices and cover and cook till the mixture is all mushy. Sprinkle some water if the mixture gets too drain or starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the thin coconut milk, salt to taste and bring to a rolling boil. Now add the prawns and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes or till the prawns has cooked through. Reduce the heat add the thick coconut milk, garam masala powder, pepper powder, reserved slices of tomatoes (I had a few cherry tomatoes which I used) and bring to a gentle simmer.

Turn the heat off, add a twig of curry leaves, a teaspoon of coconut oil, cover and let it sit undisturbed for about 10-15 mins before you serve it with  Ghee rice or plain rice or bread.