Chemmeen Roast or Prawn Roast

Chemmeen Roast or Prawn Roast is a signature seafood dish from Kerala, also known as God’s Own Country, in the south of the Indian Subcontinent.

Seafood curries from Kerala are cooked in an earthen-clay or mud pot (mann chatti) which enhances the taste, or so we say. Usually these earthen pots are reserved for cooking only seafood dishes. A non-stick pan or wok can be used instead.

This is a spicy recipe and spice levels can be adjusted to suit your own palates. The fresh, deveined prawns are cooked in spices, and finished with a dollop of pure coconut oil. Tamarind paste, that I have used, can be bought at any of the Indian stores in Cyprus. Tamarind imparts an earthy sourness to a curry.

Make sure the prawns are not over cooked. I add them to a well cooked and heated masala gravy for 5 to 8 minutes, and then switch off the heat, and close the pan for the prawns to continue cooking in the gravy.

This dish tastes even better the next day.

550g prawns, medium size, shelled, cleaned and deveined

3 green chillies, fresh, each sliced lengthwise in half, deseeded

5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 piece ginger, 2-inches in length, peeled and finely chopped

20 shallots, peeled and finely chopped or 2 large onions chopped

5 sprigs of curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon curry powder (mild)

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon black pepper powder

1 tablespoon red chilli powder, or substitute with paprika or a mix of both according to your taste

250ml or half a standard can of chopped peeled tomatoes

3 tablespoons tamarind paste

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

5 tablespoons coconut oil, or more as required

1 extra tablespoon coconut oil for drizzling

In a wok, add the coconut oil (make sure to maintain heat while not burning the coconut oil). Add in green chillies, garlic, ginger, and shallots or onions and curry leaves. Stir fry till the ingredients become translucent and the aromas have blended well. To this softened mixture, add the cumin seeds, turmeric powder (haldi), curry powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, red chilli powder. After 8 minutes on a low flame, add the tomato. Stir and cook on a medium flame till the oil separates from the masala. To this add the tamarind paste and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt as required.

Add prawns into this hot masala, increase the heat to high, stir well, for 1 to 2 minutes, reduce the heat, close the pan. In 3 to 5 minutes switch off the fire. Close the lid tightly and let the prawns cook in the heat of the gravy. Open the pan after half an hour and drizzle 1 tablespoon of pure coconut oil over the top.

Serve with rice or any kind of roti. If you have leftovers, you can also add half a can of coconut cream to this curry for a milder version, as shown in the picture.

Serene runs amateur cooking club The Best Exotic Kerala Kitchen, where cooking lessons are held for friends and family. Tel: 99 222462