A chilly and wet wintery night in Scotland calls for something with a bit of heat. I also often cook when I get home after work, which is why I usually look for easy and quick recipes which are tasty, fresh and healthy. Tonight I made this delicious Prawn & Coconut Curry which I slightly adapted from Olive magazine (December 2011).

Prawn & Coconut Curry

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Prawn & Coconut Curry

Prep Time: 10 minutes;

Cook Time: 20 minutes;

Serves: 2;

Difficulty: Easy;

Perfect for: A quick midweek meal

Suitable for: Pescatarian diet, Gluten-free, Lactose-free.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil;
  • 1 onion, chopped;
  • 1 garlic clove, sliced;
  • 1 green chilli, sliced;
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds;
  • 2 tbsp masala curry paste (I’ve added a simple recipe at the end if you want to make your own);
  • 1 tbsp desiccated coconut;
  • 400g tin chopped (or cherry) tomatoes;
  • 200g large raw peeled prawns;
  • a bit of chopped coriander (for garnish).

Method

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion, garlic, half the green chilli, and mustard seeds. Cook for about 5-10 minutes until the everything has softened and the seeds begin to pop. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the tinned tomatoes and coconut. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened and then add the prawns. Cook until they turn opaque, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining chilli and the coriander and serve with rice or naan bread (or both!)

Recipe adapted from “Prawns with mustard seeds and coconut”, Olive magazine (December 2011)

Bonus recipe: Indian Masala Curry Paste

  1. Place 2 tsp black mustard seeds in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute or until seeds start to pop. Add 2 tsp black peppercorns, 1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin, 1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander, 2 tsp garam masala, 2 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Cook for a couple of minutes or until fragrant. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
  2. Place the spice mixture in a food processor. Add 1 tsp hot chilli powder, 3 crushed garlic cloves, chopped 3cm piece of fresh ginger, 1/4 (60ml) cup malt vinegar, 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Process until a smooth paste is formed. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

This will give you plenty for the curry above and enough for a couple of more curries!