Description
This flavorful prawn and pumpkin curry combines tender tiger prawns with roasted pumpkin and a rich, spiced coconut milk sauce. Enhanced by a vibrant homemade curry paste and a fragrant tarka tempering, this dish offers a delightful balance of heat, citrus, and earthy spices, all served best with steamed basmati rice for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Prawns Marinade
- 24 large raw tiger prawns, peeled and deveined, tails left on
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
Curry Paste
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste
- 3 shallots, chopped
- 1 small tomato, chopped
- 70g ginger, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ground fenugreek
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tbsp ground coriander
- 100ml warm water (for blending)
- 400ml coconut milk
Sauce Base
- 700g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into rough chunks
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 200g shallots, finely diced
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 2 small tomatoes, diced
Tarka (Tempering)
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 15 curry leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
To Serve
- 100g baby leaf spinach
- Steamed basmati rice
Instructions
- Marinate the Prawns: Toss the tiger prawns with chilli powder, turmeric, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes. Cover and chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
- Prepare the Curry Paste: In a blender, combine tamarind paste, chopped shallots, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilli, garam masala, ground fenugreek, turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, and 100ml warm water. Blend until smooth to create the curry paste.
- Roast the Pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C, gas mark 7). Toss the peeled and chunked pumpkin with a little vegetable oil and cumin seeds. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.
- Cook the Sauce Base: Heat a large pan over high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Sauté the finely diced shallots until lightly browned. Stir in turmeric, ground cumin, and ground coriander and cook for an additional minute. Add diced tomatoes, stirring well, then mix in the prepared curry paste. Season with sea salt to taste.
- Make the Tarka (Tempering): In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until very hot. Add black mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, letting them pop. Quickly add curry leaves, chopped garlic, and finely chopped shallots. Sizzle the mixture for about 30 seconds, then immediately pour it into the main curry sauce to infuse flavor.
- Combine Pumpkin and Sauce: Add the roasted pumpkin chunks to the curry sauce. Cover and let it simmer gently for about 5 minutes to meld the flavors. This is a suitable stopping point if preparing ahead; refrigerate until ready to proceed.
- Cook the Prawns and Finish: When ready to serve, gently reheat the curry if needed. Add the marinated prawns and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes until the prawns just turn pink and are cooked through. Finally, stir in the baby leaf spinach and remove from heat promptly to prevent overcooking the spinach, allowing it to wilt slightly into the sauce.
- Serve: Dish out the prawn and pumpkin curry with steamed basmati rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- Marinating the prawns for 2 hours enhances their flavor but can be reduced to 30 minutes if short on time.
- The pumpkin can be substituted with butternut squash for a slightly different texture and sweetness.
- You can prepare the sauce base and pumpkin ahead of time and reheat before adding prawns to save time.
- Adjust the green chilli quantity based on preferred spice level.
- Use fresh curry leaves for the best aromatic effect in the tarka.
- Serve immediately after adding spinach to keep it fresh and vibrant.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of the dish)
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
