Madras curry is is a hot spicy curry which originated in Madras (now callled Chennai) in South India. This south Indian curry can be made with vegetables or meats and is very popular in the United Kingdom, Middle East and many other countries. The piquant and Spicy Madras curry became a big hit with British colonists in India, who took the curry recipe back to Britain. Madras Curry Powder in dry form or paste form is readily available in grocery stores all over the world. It contains spices like chili pepper,  turmeric, cumin, black pepper, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, fenugreek, bay leaves, and curry leaves.  Madras Lamb Curry, Madras Chicken Curry and Madras Prawn Curry are very popular dishes in the UK.

Basic Madras curry sauce is prepared with a base of garlic, ginder,  fried onions and tomatoes.  Blending with coconut milk makes Madras curry more thicker and milder.  Ingredients like lemon juice or tamarind can be added to the curry to make it more sour and tart. Here we give a simple recipe for Prawn Madras Curry which you can try at home.

Ingredients

750 gms  small  peeled prawns
8 tbsp coconut cream
2 tsp tamarind concentrate
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp  coriander seeds
5-6 fenugreek seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 dried red chilies
5 cloves
1 tsp turmeric
3-4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large thinly sliced onion
½ spoon garlic paste
½ spoon ginger paste
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves 
salt
3 tbsp lemon juice

Method

• Mix turmeric powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and lemon juice well and apply to the prawns, keep aside the prawns for 15 to 20 minutes for marinating.
• Grind the coconut cream along with cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds to a paste.
  Prepare tamarind concentrate by adding 4 to 5 tbsp of water to it.
• Pour the oil into a large saucepan bring up to a high heat. Add the mustard seeds when they sizzle and crackle stir in the cloves and dried red chilies.
• Then add the chopped onions, gingler-garlic paste and reduce the heat to low and cook until the onion is browned. Add tomato puree and 1/2 cup water and let it simmer for few minutes till the onion becomes soft.
• Add the coconut paste, tamarind concentrate  and cook this  until the mixture bubbles.  Stir in the prawns and simmer for 10 minutes or until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve the prawn curry with naan or steamed rice.

To make the recipe simpler, you can use the readymade Madras curry powder or paste.

Technorati Tags: South India, Indian curry, Madras Curry Powder, Prawn Madras Curry