Masala Shrimp (Prawns)

[livo]

All Color Encyclopedia of International Cooking.  Not my own work but I do often tweak this and sometimes make it more BIR.  Add whatever suites your taste. Chilli, Ginger, hot Masala, Mixed Powder (subs), Coriander, Methi etc.

Supposed to serve 4 as a main or 6 as an appetiser.  (Serves 2 at a stretch at my place.)  ;D

12 large green prawns (720 g)
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 TBSP finely chopped fresh parsley
1 TBSP Garam Masala or Mild Curry Powder (or 50/50 or Mixed Powder)
0.5 tsp salt
1.5 TBSP Butter or Ghee
1.5 TBSP oil
1/2 cup heavy cream (double)
ground black pepper and extra salt to taste

Peel the prawns leaving the tails on
Slit down the back with a sharp knife and de-vein
Mix the garlic, parsley, GM or CP and salt
Rub the mix on the prawns pressing into the slit back
Heat the oil and butter in a curry pan
Fry the prawns till done (6 minutes or less for smaller) turning regularly
Transfer the prawns to a serving plate
Pour the cream into the pan and bring to a low or near boil stirring to deglaze the pan
Salt and Pepper to taste
Arrange cooked prawns (sauce) on a bed of Rice (Saffron recommended)
Either pour the sauce over the prawns and garnish with a sprinkle of additional GM, Lemon wedge and coriander leaf or serve the sauce in a dipping bowl.

Edit: PS; I have made this using less cream and substituting some base gravy. This recipe for me has been treated as a starting point since I found this site.  I used to make it spec and still do occasionaly, but don't be held back by a "recipe".

[livo]

I made this again last night, pretty much to spec, and once again it only just stretched to 2 serves between my wife and myself.  Had I not cooked Balti Chicken Madras as well it would be all gone.

I used frozen imported shelled green prawns and the only variations were the inclusion of a good pinch of Mixed Powder with the Garam Masala and a pinch of crumbled Methi toward the end of cooking the prawns.  I served it with Saffron Milk Rice and it was absolutely delicious, even using the frozen prawns.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I'm not convinced that (in the U.K., at least) one can get raw king prawns that have not been frozen.  Certainly I/we use frozen prawns all the time for dishes such as Singapore rice noodles, king prawn chow mien and so on, and I would never be able to tell from the finished dish that the prawns were not straight from the ocean.  Mind you, we always cut them down the spine, not only to remove the gut but also because it markedly improves the texture ,,,

** Phil.

[livo]

I'm fortunate enough to live near fresh prawns and even catch my own on occasion. There is a difference between fresh and frozen, particularly when the prawns are simply boiled in seawater (or a made up brine solution), allowed to cool and consumed.  Fresh ocean prawns are usually leaps and bounds better than frozen but even here it is sometimes more frugal to use frozen product and in most instances they are perfectly adequate.  Deep water ocean trawled prawns are often, by necessity, snap-frozen on board and the eating qualities are not too noticeably affected.

[livo]

This one was prepared last night using fresh green King Prawns.