Sri Lankan Prawn Curry
Serves 6.
Ingredients
750 g/1 1/2 lb raw prawns
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
1 small stick cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
sprig of fresh curry leaves
or 12 dried curry leaves
1 stem fresh lemon grass, bruised
or 2 strips lemon rind
1 strip pandan leaf, fresh, frozen or dried
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1-2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
400 ml/14 fl oz can coconut milk
lime or lemon juice to taste
Directions
Wash prawns and remove heads, but leave rest of shells intact. Carefully draw out vein. Put all ingredients, except prawns and lime juice into a saucepan. Stir in 1 cup water and bring slowly to simmering point. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Add prawns and lime juice and stir. Simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add more salt and lime juice if necessary. Serve with boiled rice.
Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)