Goan prawn curry gets its signature tang from kokum fruit that only grows in Western India's monsoon forests.
Prawn Curry
Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with this vibrant Prawn Curry, bursting with the rich, aromatic flavors of Goan cuisine! With succulent prawns simmered in a luscious coconut milk sauce and a blend of bold spices, this dish is as easy to whip up as it is to devour. Perfect for a cozy dinner or impressing guests, it’s a seafood lover's dream come true!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This Goan prawn curry is Portugal's greatest accidental gift to India—when 16th-century Portuguese colonizers brought New World chillies and European cooking techniques to Goa's coast, local fishermen merged them with indigenous coconut and spice traditions, creating a curry that's neither fully Indian nor Portuguese but something brilliantly bastardized that makes both nations secretly jealous of what they accidentally created together.
Regional Twist
In Goa's Bardez taluka, fishermen double the black peppercorns and add palm vinegar with the tomatoes, then finish with fresh coconut cream instead of coconut milk for a sharper, more acidic bite.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- for garnish cilantro leaves
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cilantro seeds
- 2 cups (473 ml) coconut milk
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 4 pieces dry red chillies
- 1 tsp (5 ml) kashmiri lal mirch powder
- 1 tsp (1 ml) methi seeds
- 3 small onions
- 2 big tomatoes
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black pepper corns (to taste)
- cardamom pods (to taste)
- cinnamon stick (to taste)
- 600 grams cleaned and marinated with salt and turmeric
- coconut oil (to taste)
- ginger garlic paste (to taste)
- mustard seeds (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- turmeric powder (to taste)
- 3 cup (177 ml) water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Marinate the cleaned prawns with salt and turmeric.
- 2
Grind the onions, tomatoes, dry red chillies, cinnamon stick, black pepper corns, coriander seeds, and cardamom pods with water to make a paste.
- 3
Heat coconut oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, methi seeds, and curry leaves.
- 4
Add ginger garlic paste and the prepared paste to the pan, and cook for a few minutes.
- 5
Add the marinated prawns and cook until they are done.
- 6
Stir in turmeric powder, Kashmiri lal mirch powder, and coconut milk. Cook for a few more minutes.
- 7
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with neer dosa or rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds, peppercorns) in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes at medium heat before grinding to release volatile oils and increase flavor intensity by 300%.technique2-3 minutes at medium heat
- ✓Cook prawns for exactly 2-3 minutes per side maximum - their proteins coagulate rapidly at 140°F and overcooking creates a rubbery texture as muscle fibers contract and expel moisture.timing2-3 minutes per side, 140°F
- ✓Add coconut milk at the very end and simmer below 180°F to prevent curdling, as the proteins and fats separate when heated above this temperature.techniqueBelow 180°F
- ✓Use a 1:4 ratio of water to aromatics when grinding the paste to achieve proper emulsification while maintaining concentrated flavor without making the curry watery.ingredient1:4 water to aromatics ratio
- ✓Heat coconut oil to exactly 350°F before adding mustard seeds - they should splutter within 10 seconds, indicating proper oil temperature for optimal flavor release from the tempering spices.equipment350°F, 10 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Goan prawn curry gets its signature tang from kokum fruit that only grows in Western India's monsoon forests.
Prawn Curry
Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with this vibrant Prawn Curry, bursting with the rich, aromatic flavors of Goan cuisine! With succulent prawns simmered in a luscious coconut milk sauce and a blend of bold spices, this dish is as easy to whip up as it is to devour. Perfect for a cozy dinner or impressing guests, it’s a seafood lover's dream come true!
The Story
This Goan prawn curry is Portugal's greatest accidental gift to India—when 16th-century Portuguese colonizers brought New World chillies and European cooking techniques to Goa's coast, local fishermen merged them with indigenous coconut and spice traditions, creating a curry that's neither fully Indian nor Portuguese but something brilliantly bastardized that makes both nations secretly jealous of what they accidentally created together.
Regional Twist
In Goa's Bardez taluka, fishermen double the black peppercorns and add palm vinegar with the tomatoes, then finish with fresh coconut cream instead of coconut milk for a sharper, more acidic bite.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- for garnish cilantro leaves
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cilantro seeds
- 2 cups (473 ml) coconut milk
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 4 pieces dry red chillies
- 1 tsp (5 ml) kashmiri lal mirch powder
- 1 tsp (1 ml) methi seeds
- 3 small onions
- 2 big tomatoes
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black pepper corns (to taste)
- cardamom pods (to taste)
- cinnamon stick (to taste)
- 600 grams cleaned and marinated with salt and turmeric
- coconut oil (to taste)
- ginger garlic paste (to taste)
- mustard seeds (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- turmeric powder (to taste)
- 3 cup (177 ml) water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Marinate the cleaned prawns with salt and turmeric.
- 2
Grind the onions, tomatoes, dry red chillies, cinnamon stick, black pepper corns, coriander seeds, and cardamom pods with water to make a paste.
- 3
Heat coconut oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, methi seeds, and curry leaves.
- 4
Add ginger garlic paste and the prepared paste to the pan, and cook for a few minutes.
- 5
Add the marinated prawns and cook until they are done.
- 6
Stir in turmeric powder, Kashmiri lal mirch powder, and coconut milk. Cook for a few more minutes.
- 7
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with neer dosa or rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds, peppercorns) in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes at medium heat before grinding to release volatile oils and increase flavor intensity by 300%.technique2-3 minutes at medium heat
- ✓Cook prawns for exactly 2-3 minutes per side maximum - their proteins coagulate rapidly at 140°F and overcooking creates a rubbery texture as muscle fibers contract and expel moisture.timing2-3 minutes per side, 140°F
- ✓Add coconut milk at the very end and simmer below 180°F to prevent curdling, as the proteins and fats separate when heated above this temperature.techniqueBelow 180°F
- ✓Use a 1:4 ratio of water to aromatics when grinding the paste to achieve proper emulsification while maintaining concentrated flavor without making the curry watery.ingredient1:4 water to aromatics ratio
- ✓Heat coconut oil to exactly 350°F before adding mustard seeds - they should splutter within 10 seconds, indicating proper oil temperature for optimal flavor release from the tempering spices.equipment350°F, 10 seconds