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Sri Lankan King Prawn Curry, Tamarind Eggplant with Cashews, Saffron Rice and Coconut Sambal
Recipe by Elise Pulbrook
Re-create this authentic Sri Lankan king prawn curry which is filled with traditional spices and flavours.
- Steps
- Ingredients
Ingredients
Saffron Rice
Sri Lankan King Prawn Curry
Tamarind Eggplant
Coconut Sambal
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Steps
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Boil kettle or boil water in pan on stove.
- For the Saffron Rice, place half of the saffron into a mortar and pestle and grind to a powder. Combine the ground saffron with the saffron threads in a medium bowl, then add 2 tablespoons boiling water. Set aside for 5 minutes to soften.
- Soak rice in cold water for 5-10 minutes. Stir the rice then rinse 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Drain well.
- While the rice is soaking, heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and cook until golden and soft, about 3-4 minutes. Weigh the drained wet rice then add to the saucepan. Shake the saucepan to coat each grain of rice with butter. Season with salt and pepper, then add the spices.
- Add enough water to the saffron water so that the total water weight is twice that of the wet rice. Add to the rice, bring to boil then reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook until water has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
- Gently fluff rice with a fork then wrap the lid in a clean tea towel and re-cover the rice. Set aside until required.
- For the Sri Lankan King Prawn Curry, remove heads and shells from prawns and devein. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Toast the cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant before grinding coarsely in a mortar and pestle.
- Heat ghee in a large saucepan. Add onions and season with salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes and once they start caramelising, add ½ of the prawn heads and shells. Fry until prawn heads have changed to a bright orange colour. Add chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves, garlic and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the ground cumin and coriander, turmeric, chilli powders, paprika and black pepper. Stir and sauté until fragrant.
- When the spices begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, add coconut milk and approximately 250ml water.
- Add pandan leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and goraka. Season with salt and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, pressing the prawn heads with a potato masher regularly.
- Season to taste. If the sauce is too thick, it may need to be loosened with a little water. Strain the curry sauce through a fine sieve into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Hook prawns together in pairs and place into the simmering curry sauce, ensuring they are submerged. Cover with a lid and poach until prawns are 80% cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the sauce and allow the residual heat to cook the prawns through. Add lemon juice and salt to the sauce, to taste. Remove from the heat and gently reheat to serve.
- Heat sunflower oil in a small saucepan. Add the curry leaves and cook until translucent, about 30 seconds. Remove from the oil and set aside on paper towel.
- For the Tamarind Eggplant, toast cashews in oven until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes.
- Slice the eggplant into finger-sized batons then toss with spices and salt until eggplant is evenly coated. Mix through the minced garlic and ginger and set aside.
- Slice onion into wedges similar to the size of the eggplant batons.
- Melt coconut oil in a heavy based frying pan. Add onion and cook until beginning to caramelise. Add eggplant to pan and cook until caramelized and crispy. Add chilli when the eggplant is almost done. Mix tamarind puree with 1 tablespoon water and add to the pan. Use a spatula to gently shake eggplant around the pan. Simmer briefly until the eggplant looks sticky, about 3-5 minutes. Season to taste.
- Just before serving, stir in most of the toasted cashews and fresh herbs and season with lemon juice and salt to taste, setting aside additional herbs and nuts for garnishing.
- For the Coconut Sambal, open coconut and scrape into a medium bowl. Alternatively, add 100g iced water to 100g desiccated coconut. Stir through and leave to soak until the desiccated coconut is well hydrated and the water is absorbed.
- In a large mortar and pestle, grind the peppercorns until fine. Add the onion and salt and pound to crush. Mix in the chilli powder, fish chips and paprika and crush briefly.
- Mix into the grated coconut, kneading firmly with your hands. Add the lime zest, lime juice and salt, to taste. Set aside to infuse then transfer to a serving bowl.
- To serve, scoop a generous portion of rice into serving bowls. Stack prawns in pairs on the rice and pour heated curry sauce at their base. Dress with fried curry leaves. Serve the Tamarind Eggplant piled high in a bowl, finished with herbs, chillies and additional cashew nuts and Coconut Sambal on the side.
