Frozen, de-shelled prawns: the main ingredients for Madhur Jaffreys Prawn & Cucumber curry!
The recipe is not that substantial as it stands – but a few small cooked potatoes add bulk, also they taste good, a few frozen peas added colour.
Plain rice is normal – we decided on Risonni (tiny rice like pasta) – and a piece of Sheila’s sour dough bread toasted and rubbed with garlic.
275g cucumber
100g shallots or onions
6 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons ground coriander seeds
1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3–4 dried hot red chillies
350g raw, headless prawns, peeled, de-veined and washed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
400ml thick coconut milk
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
METHOD
Peel the cucumber and cut crossways into 1cm (½in) thick rounds. Peel the shallots and finely chop three quarters of them; finely slice the rest. Peel the garlic cloves. Chop four of them very finely; cut the other two into fine slivers. Combine the sliced shallots and slivered garlic and set these aside.
In a medium pan, combine the chopped shallots, chopped garlic, ground coriander seeds, ground fennel seeds, white pepper, cumin seeds, turmeric and 450ml . water
Crumble in the red chillies. Stir and bring to the boil. Boil, uncovered, on a fairly high heat for about 5 minutes.
Add the cucumber rounds and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the prawns, salt and sugar. Bring to a simmer again and simmer gently for about 1 minute, stirring the prawns around in the sauce.
Give the coconut milk a good stir and pour it in. Bring the mixture to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring now and then.
Put oil in a small frying pan and set over a medium–high heat. When hot, add the slivered shallots and garlic and stir-fry until they turn golden. Add the whole fennel seeds, stir once, then quickly pour the contents of the pan (oil and seasonings) into the pan containing the curry.
Cover the curry pan immediately to trap all the aromas.
Serve with rice.
Original recipe madhur Jaffrey Far Eastern Cookery
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