Dreamy Prawns a.k.a Mallu Prawns

If you're a seafood lover, living in Chennai, and haven't been to The Marina, I'd say you're living under a rock. I would also urge you to go there, now.

Before you do though, I'm talking about the Restaurant and not the beach. Just to be clear.

Starting from the Calamari to the Fish Lasooni, the Fish satay, even the biriyani, you would be doing yourself, your taste buds and the rest of your life a favour by going there.

What really took my fancy though was their Jumbo prawns/medium prawns tawa fry - mallu style. 

If you like coconut (really, who doesn't? If you don't, you're lying to yourself) and curry leaves, and prawns, THIS IS FOR YOU. 

I loved these prawns so much I had dreams about them. No, I kid you not. So one fine Sunday afternoon, when the sun was shining (smouldering) and the prawns were fresh, a jobless 21 year old decided to try and recreate this marvellous dish. 

As it turned out, its really easy.

The Players. 

1 onion and 2 tomatoes, cut, sauteed and ground to a paste.

Paste of half a coconut

Cut slivers of coconut.

About one table spoon of fresh garlic and ginger paste

Curry Leaves. The more, the merrier. 

Fresh Coconut Oil

Salt, chilli powder and turmeric (all to taste)

1/2 kg Prawns (Medium) Shell free and deveined. 

If you're a herbivore - replace prawns with raw bananas, and contemplate eating prawns while you're at it.

Add about 2 tablespoons of oil and one table spoon of ghee, add the ginger, garlic and a handful of curry leaves (you can be as generous as your palette allows you to be) and saute them until goldenish, add half the quantity of coconut paste and half the onion tomato paste. 

Mix, crank up the heat and wait till it turns an orange-red colour - think Merida from Brave. No? Not there yet? Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder as per your preference. Now, we're talking.

Now add the rest of the coconut paste and tomato paste, and let it cook.. all over again. At this point you could add more seasoning, if need be. Throw in the prawns, you could gently place them too, I just prefer throwing things, makes me feel in control. 

While the prawns are simmering - if they aren't, add some water and let them simmer - toast more curry leaves and the coconut slivers in fresh coconut oil. The smell that fills your house despite the many exhaust fans will be to die for. The minute they've toasted, add them to your (hopefully) cooked prawns (the gravy should have reached Adison from Grey's Anatomy's red, y'know? Don't lie, ofcourse you do). Let it simmer for a last minute or two, and you're done. Congratulate self and dig in! 

So, will you be trying it? You should.