Sri Lankan Prawn Curry with Roasted Spices
For those spice lovers out there, this recipe is just for you. Roasting spices allows the oils to release, increasing the flavours of the curry and adding smokiness. This is one of my all time favourite curries and has the added health benefits of the myriad of spices in this recipe.
Ingredients:
- Prawns - 500 g, green, shelled and deveined (I use local Qld prawns)
- Red Chilli (Dried) - 2 (use 4 if you like it hot)
- Cinnamon - 1 quill
- Clove - 2
- Cardamom Pods - 2
- Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon
- Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
- Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
- Red Eschallots - 3, diced
- Ginger - 2 teaspoons, grated
- Garlic - 3 cloves, crushed (Australian, organic)
- Green Chilli - 1, sliced on an angle
- Pandanus leaf - 10 cm (available from Asian grocers)
- Lemongrass - 1 piece, (use the white section only, smash the end using a pestle)
- Paprika - 1 teaspoon
- Coconut Milk - 180 ml (organic)
- Sea Salt - 1/2 teaspoon (Celtic, Himalayan, Murray River)
- Ghee - 2 tablespoons (organic, biodynamic), can use olive oil as a dairy free substitute
Instructions:
- In a non stick pan place the dried chillies, cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek, cumin, coriander and cardamom over a medium heat. Stir the spices until they start to brown and become fragrant. Remove the spices from the pan and when cool place into a spice/coffee grinder and grind until powdered.
- In a large non stick or cast iron pan place the ghee on a medium to high heat, once hot add the green chilli and red eschallots, fry until the eschallots are clear. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and fry for about 20 seconds, then add 250 ml of water. Add in the ground spice mix, pandanus leaf, lemongrass, paprika and salt. Cover the pot and allow to simmer for around 20 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk and the green prawns to the pan, simmering until the prawns are opaque.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and sliced red chillies.
- Serve with coconut rice and steamed snow peas.
Teneille’s Tips
- I like to serve curries on a bed of baby spinach rather than rice to reduce carbs.
- Prawns and other seafood are a great source of iodine, essential for proper thyroid function.
- All of the spices in this curry are great for digestion and also reducing inflammation in the body.
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