Goan Prawn Curry

We had been talking about having a good, spicy curry for a few weeks now, and we finally got the chance. It comes from the aptly-titled 'Best-Ever Curry Cookbook'. Now, call me a food snob, but I usually shy away from any cookbooks which contain the words 'quick' 'easy' best-ever' or 'simple' in the title, so I was a little wary of this one when we got it awhile back.

This was actually quite good with just the right amount of heat. GENERAL TIP: ALWAYS buy raw prawns (or shrimp). You see, when you buy precooked shrimp, you never know if it was precooked by a moron. When it's raw and being cooked for the first time (by you!), you get to control the doneness. Also, with precooked, it may have been precooked and frozen 10 years ago.

When you whip up the Spice Mixture, we found that using the whole amount that the mixture yields works out to right around the 3 tablespoons the recipe calls for. Enjoy!

1 tablespoon butter, or ghee
2 garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon groundnut oil
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 2 inch cinnamon
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 red chili, seeded and sliced
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
175 milliliters fish stock, or water
350 milliliters coconut milk
3 tablespoons Fragrant Spice Mix, (see directions)
4 teaspoons chili powder
salt
basmati rice, cooked, enough for four people

First, make the spice mix. Dry fry 1 1/2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon peppercorns (mixed, if available), 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds and 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds until aromatic, then grind finely in a spice mill.

Melt the ghee or butter in a wok or large pan, add the garlic and stir over a low heat for a few seconds. Add the prawns and stir-fry briskly to coat. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In the same pan heat the oil and fry the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon for 2 minutes. Add the mustard seeds and fry for 1 minute. Add the onion and chilli and fry for 7-8 minutes or until softened and lightly browned.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a slow simmer. Cook gently for 6-8 minutes and add the prawns. Simmer for 5-8 minutes until the prawns are cooked through. Serve the curry with the basmati rice.