If you are a curry lover, you know
there are few meals as satisfying as a prawns curry. The
richness is flavor is matched only by the richness of colors:
the reds of peppers, bouncing off the yellows and greens of the
curries, soaking the white of the rice and the pink of the
prawns. Sweet in flavor and firm in texture, Prawns add a
soothing element to spicier curries. If you are, however,
hesitant of curries, perhaps it's because you prefer things less
spicy. Great news: curry is not inherently spicy, it is actually
not even its own spice. Curry powder, also known as masala
powder, is a generic term for the combination of spices,
including turmeric, red pepper and cumin common. Curry is
popular in Asian and Southeast Asian recipes. Its spiciness is
dependent on the level of red pepper, and other spicy additives.
In most restaurants and certainly in your own home, you can add
as much spice as you would like (or not like, depending).
A prawns curry is most often
served as a curry dish with an accompanying skewer of prawns.
However, you can modify this according to your wishes. A few
variations can also be found, like prawns that are merely cooked
in curry and not served with rice.
Most curries require a stock of
ingredients. The variation comes in how to mix them all
together:
Prawns
Whole coconut milk
Curry powder
Fine grain sea salt
Large red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
Water
Firm tofu (optional)
1 cup green beans
2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
1/3 cup toasted cashews
For a pretty basic curry heat
half the coconut milk in a large skillet, add curry powder and
salt. Then add chopped red onion and garlic, and cook for one
minute before adding the rest of the coconut milk and water. If
you are using tofu, add it now too. Add pre-cooked prawns
(cleaned and deveined). Cook liquid down and then stir in the
green beans and cauliflower and cook them through. Remove from
heat and add toasted cashews before adjusting seasoning to
taste.
Prawns curry doesn't need to be
a scary word, nor a spicy meal. It can be simple and a different
way to spice up your next family dinner. Serve with accompanying
brown and white rice and top it with a pinch of cilantro.
