Prawn Jalfrezi

This beautifully cooked spicy jalfrezi is one of the first curries I learnt to cook successfully and I was taught by one of my very good friends! It’s super quick and easy to make, taking a maximum time of 30 mins only and is always a dish that goes down well with all my friends and family! A staple curry to cook when hosting if you want your guests pleased!

INGREDIENTS

– Cooking oil – 1 packet of frozen prawns (pre cooked and peeled would make life easier) – 2 onions diced – 1 tsp salt – 2-3 crushed fresh garlic – 1 red pepper – 1 green pepper – 3 tomatoes quartered – 3 green chilles slit – Handful of coriander leaves – 1 scotch bonnet (if you can handle your spice! Or use a quarter if you can’t!)

Ground Spices:

– Tumeric powder

– Curry powder

– Chilli powder

METHOD

1. Defrost the prawns in a bowl of water until they have softened.

2. Wash the prawns with cold water, drain the water, then mix the prawns in a clean bowl with 1/2 tsp of the following powders: curry, tumeric and ground chilli.

3. Grab a medium sized deep saucepan. Heat the pan with 2 tbsp of oil first and then add the prawns. Fry these prawns until they curl up and are well done. Once prawns are cooked, remove from the pan, and leave in a bowl for later.

4. Using the same pan and oil you fried prawns in, add the garlic, diced onions and 1 tsp of salt, and wait until onions cooked, stirring frequently (leave on low heat with lid on so onions can dissolve). You may need to add a small dash of water to ensure the onions don’t stick to the pan, or you can add a further tbsp of oil.

5. Once the onions are golden, add 1 tsp of tumeric, 1 tsp of chilli powder, 3 tsp of curry powder into the pan and stir it in. Let the masala cook on medium heat, strring frequently so the masala doesnt burn, adding small dashes of water if you need to.

(at this point taste the spice level for seasoning. If you need to add more salt or spices to your taste, add it now)

6. Next add in the fried prawns from earlier and give it a good stir. If you want more sauce in the curry, add more water, a little at a time whilst stirring.

7. Wash the peppers and chop them up into strips then halved. Add this into the saucepan, and let it cook into the spice. Once the peppers are half cooked, add in the quartered tomatoes (this will release water into the curry) and the scotch bonnet pieces.

8. Cook until curry gets thicker and tomatos are well done. Then add in green chilles (halved) five minutes before curry is done and a handful of chopped coriander on top for fragrance.

Enjoy with some freshly cooked basmati rice.