Spicy Andhra style prawn curry

Food from Andhra Pradesh as labelled as some of the spiciest in India. This is certaintly true for this prawn curry in which a good amount of green chillis are added for that extra fiery kick! 

This dish is a variation of the Andhra Royalla Vepudu and perfect for an every day dinner. You can use frozen prawns which have already been deveined and cleaned, this will save you a lot of hassle. Just remember to defrost them and drain any excess water before using in the dish. This will ensure that they don't release a lot of water into the curry and make the final gravy too watery.

I flavoured the gravy of this dish with fennel seeds, green chillis, garlic & ginger. I also added some garam masala at the end for a little extra warmth. To thicken this dish, I add a simple mixture of cornflour and water. This not only gives a delicious glossy texture but also helps the sauce cling to the prawns. This dish is perfect to have with chapatis - or you can even have it alongside some rice & dal. 

Ingredients 
Serves 3-4 

For the prawns
500g prawns, defrosted (with tails but deveined & cleaned)
1 tsp turmeric 

For the masala
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, thinely sliced
Small piece of ginger, finely chopped
2-3 green chillis, slit 
3/4 tsp cornflour mixed with a few tsps of water
Water, as required
Oil, as required
Coriander to garnish
Salt to taste

You'll need these spices 
1 tsp mustard seeds 
1 tsp fennel seeds 
1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 
1/2 tsp coriander powder 
1/2 tsp garam masala 

Method
Cook time - 30 minutes

• Add the defrosted prawns to a bowl and add the turmeric. Mix well and let the prawns marinate for 15-20 minutes. This will remove any raw fish smell. Set aside whilst you work on the masala. 
  
  
• To a deep frying pan or kadai, add a little vegetable oil. Add the mustard and fennel seeds and let them sizzle until fragrant. 
  
  
• Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli and saute for a few minutes. 
  
  
• Next, add the finely chopped onion and saute until translucent. 
  
  
• Add the tomatoes and cook until completely soft. 
  
  
• Once the tomatoes are soft, add the marinated prawns. Mix well and then cook with the lid on for 5 minutes on a medium heat. The prawns will curl up then they are done. The prawns may have also released a bit of water as well. 
  
  
• Add the cornflour slurry and mix well. Cook for 1 minute until the sauce thickens. You can add more water if you need to adjust the consistency. 
  
  
• Finally, add the remaining spices (chilli powder, garam masala & coriander). 
  
  
• Give a final stir and season with salt to taste. 
  
  
• Garnish with coriander and sprinkle over some fennel seeds for a refreshing taste!