Spicy Prawn Masala Recipe

Prawn Masala is a creamy and spicy Indian prawn dish that is mix with authentic dry spices, coconut milk, herbs, and tomatoes. It is best to eat with plain rice or roti.

Jump to:

• What is this recipe?
• Recipe Ingredients
• What do you serve this recipe with?
• Step by Step Instruction
• Tips and Hints
• Substitution and Variation
• Recipe Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
• Related Indian Food Recipes to Try
• 📋 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments

Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines in the world since they are flavorful and rich in spices. Also, some of their foods are spicy which I find it delicious.

If you are familiar with Indian cuisines, there are different kinds of masala which includes chicken, beef or lamb masala. Out of all, prawn masala curry is my favorite because of it's unique taste.

What is this recipe?

Prawn Masala Curry is an Indian prawn dish that is mixed with onion, tomatoes, and different spices and herbs which is then put into a blender to make into a paste. The paste is then transferred into the pan where I cook it further before pouring the coconut milk.

The coconut milk is simmered for at least 5 minutes before adding the prawns. It is cooked for additional 3 minutes before serving with rice, roti, or any flatbread.

Shrimp or prawns have a stronger flavor compared to chicken or beef which blends well with different spices and herbs. The best part is the coconut milk which makes the sauce creamy and mouthwatering.

I can assure you that this is one of the most delicious Indian recipes I have ever made in my life and I am going to show you how to make one.

Recipe Ingredients

For making Prawn Masala Recipe, here are the list of ingredients I use for this dish.

Prawns- am using fresh prawns for my recipe. I prefer fresh over frozen because they have better flavor, and it tastes good. If you don't have prawns, you can use shrimp. They make no difference at all.

Coconut milk or cream- I used coconut milk or cream in my dish. In my experience, coconut milk makes the masala creamy and tasty.

Onion- Make sure you chopped the onion before cooking. You can use either White or Red onion

Garlic & Ginger- These two must be grated into smaller pieces before you sauté in the pan. Alternatively, you can use garlic and ginger powder

Fresh tomatoes- Fresh tomatoes are much preferable to using tomato sauce since it gives their naturally sweet flavor.

Coriander Leaves (Optional)- The coriander leaves will help add flavor and garnish the prawn curry dish.

Water- When using the blender, you will need water to make a paste or gravy.

Spices- There are several Indian spices you need for this recipe. Without them, you can't cook any Indian food. Here is the list of spices I used for my prawn masala recipe:

• Garam Masala
• Coriander Powder
• Red Kashmiri Chilli Powder
• Turmeric

Notes: Garam masala is one of the main spices for most Indian recipes. You can't cook Indian dishes if you don't have this type of spice.

What do you serve this recipe with?

This food is best to eat and serve with any white rice, roti or any flatbread recipe. Alternatively, I like to serve other crispy side dishes or appetizers such as my homemade vegetable samosas or cheese samosas

Also, when eating this prawn dish, I recommend adding raw vegetables such as spring onion or red onion and slices of cucumber & carrot. It is common to serve them together with rice.

Step by Step Instruction

• Firstly, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Once it is hot, add chopped onions followed by grated ginger and garlic. Stir for a few minutes till it is cooked. Later, add chopped tomatoes and give it a quick stir.
  
• Add garam masala, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder and stir again to mix.
  
• Once it is cooked, let it cool down before transferring it into the blender to make a paste. Add ½ cup of water to the blender before you switch it ON.
  

• Once it turned into a paste, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan before transferring the paste. Mix it well for less than a minute before adding the coconut milk.
  
• Add the prawns and mix them with the sauce. While simmering, add salt, black peppers, and chopped coriander. Mix it and let it continue simmering for 5 to 8 more minutes to have a nice thick sauce.
  
• Serve with rice or roti and a slice of lemon before eating.

Tips and Hints

• You can cook this recipe without using a blender. But, you need to add more water and let it simmer a little longer to help liquefy the tomatoes, the spices, and other solid ingredients.
  
• When adding the coconut milk or cream, do not simmer for more than 15 minutes since this will evaporate the sauce of the prawn masala
  
• Also, after adding the prawns, do not simmer for more than 10 minutes since overcooking them will give a rubbery or chewy texture.

Substitution and Variation

• If you don't want to make this dish spicy, you can use paprika instead of chili powder to help give a nice red color to the masala dish.
  
• You can use canned tomatoes or tomato sauce instead of fresh tomatoes.
  
• Drizzling with lemon while serving will help add an acidic flavor to this recipe.
  
• You can use prawn or shrimp in you masala curry dish
  
• For garnish, you can use chopped parsley leaves instead of coriander leaves.

Recipe Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

• How do you clean the prawns?
  You must rinse it with water first before removing the shells and devein the prawns.
  
• How long can this prawn masala curry dish last in the fridge?
  If you stored it in the fridge, it will last up to 5 days. However, if you want to keep it in the freezer for longer storage (1 month), I will recommend you keep the curry sauce and the prawn in a separate container.
  
• How to reheat the prawn masala?
  You can reheat in the microwave for 1 to 1 minute and 30 seconds on medium-high setting.

Related Indian Food Recipes to Try

Here are other delicious Indian food dishes that you can cook at home

• Aloo Chole
  
• Eggplant Masala
  
• Aloo Gobi Matar

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