Prawn curry in Goa is made with freshly ground masala made and freshly grated coconut. After years of living outside India, I have adapted the recipe so that I can make it with raw materials that are easily available locally.

Ingredients

1 tin coconut milk 400 ml

1 small onion, finely sliced

1-2 tbsp cooking oil

3 flakes garlic or as per taste, finely chopped

2,5 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp pepper powder

3-4 slices dry mango (or 1-2 tsp tamarind paste)

2-3 green chillies slit

1-2 tsp salt, to taste

15-16 big size scampi, cleaned and deveined, not frozen when cooking

Putting it together

Add the cooking oil to a pan and warm on medium heat. Add the garlic and onion slices and stir until the onion is soft and lightly coloured. The garlic should not burn.

Next add the coconut milk to the pan. You can wash out the tin with 1/2 a tin of water to remove the coconut stuck to the inside of the tin. Add the remaining ingredients except the scampi. Scampi will only be added before serving.

Leave to cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and adjust the salt or increase the chili level, if needed. The curry should thicken slightly. The curry can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and stored in the fridge.

Before serving

Reheat the curry to a light bubble. Add the scampi to the curry. Cover and allow to cook on low – medium heat for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the scampi. Scampi should not overcook.

Serve with cooked rice and some pickle.