Recipe extract: Little India at Home, Prawn Jhalfrezee

Recipe taken from the book Little India at Home

Jhalfrezee is a dish that was created during the days of the Raj. Jhal means hot and frezee means stir-fried. This dish is cooked with coconut milk, red capsicum and spring onion.

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp canola oil

6 cloves

2 sticks cinnamon (about 5cm long)

1 tsp carom seeds

1 tsp ground coriander

1 onion, finely diced

1 tbsp crushed fresh garlic

1 tbsp crushed fresh ginger

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 & 1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp salt

2 medium tomatoes, diced

2 tbsp tomato paste

24 large prawn cutlets, deveined and shells removed

1 bunch spring onions, chopped

1 red capsicum, cut julienne style

1/2 cup coconut milk

Salt and red chilli powder to taste

Chopped spring onion or fresh coriander to garnish

METHOD

Heat oil in a large pan over a low heat and add cloves, cinnamon sticks, carom seeds and ground coriander. Cook until you start to smell the aromas of the spices coming through.

Add onion, stirring continuously so it doesn't stick to bottom of pan. Cook until almost brown.

Stir in garlic and ginger and cook until softened and browned. Add turmeric, garam masala and salt and continue cooking until you start to smell the spice aromas.

Stir through tomato and tomato paste and keep cooking until you start to see oil separating from onion and spice mixture. Be sure to take your time with this and keep stirring so that it does not stick to the pan. The mix that you are making is called a tarka.

Add prawn cutlets, spring onion and capsicum and stir through the tarka. Turn heat down low and stir through coconut milk. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes until the prawns are cooked but still juicy.

Season to taste with salt and chilli powder. Garnish with chopped spring onion or fresh coriander. -Serves 6