The Puja evenings call for get-togethers with friends and family. If you are an incorrigible pandal hopper and a foodie, too, rustle up a quick, tasty dinner before going out. Novotel Kolkata’s executive chef Neelabh Sahay shares an easy recipe for Prawn Duet, a quick fix for dinner.
Prawn Duet
(Poppy crusted pan fried jumbo prawns served with lemony prawn pulao)
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
Poppy Crusted Jumbo Prawn
Two pieces of jumbo prawn
Three tbsp gandharaj (kaffir) lemon juice
Four tbsp kasundi
Four tbsp of fresh coconut paste
Two tsp of green chilli paste
Three tbsp of mustard oil
150 gms poppy seed
100 gm refined flour
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
Lemony Prawn Pulao:
Marination of prawns:
Eight to 10 small tiger prawns
One and a half tsp of garlic paste
3/4 tsp ginger paste
Half tsp turmeric powder
3/4 tsp chilli powder
Two to three tsp vegetable oil
For the pulao masala:
3/4 cup, vegetable oil
Three tbsp ghee
Eight to nine green cardamoms
Two cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
Four medium sized onions, chopped
Three chopped green chilies
Two and a half tsp of garlic paste
Two and a half tsp of ginger paste
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
One tbsp coriander powder
One cup of grated coconut
Four cups of basmati rice, washed and soaked for half an hour
Six to eight cups of water
Two lime juice
Salt to taste
Method:
Poppy Crusted Jumbo Prawn:
To make poppy crusted jumbo prawns, clean, de-shell and pat dry the prawns. Mix gandharaj lime Juice, kasundi, fresh coconut paste, green chilli paste, mustard oil, salt together to make a nice marinade. Apply the marinade on the prawns and keep aside for 30 minutes. Make a thick batter with flour, salt and water.
Take marinated prawns and dip into the batter. Evenly coat the prawns with poppy seed. Heat oil in a pan and fry the prawns till golden.
Lemony Prawn Pulao:
Mix all the marinade ingredients. Coat the prawns well with the marinade and let it marinate for half an hour. Sauté the prawns in oil and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a deep cooking pan; add green cardamom, cinnamon sticks, cloves and sauté for a minute. Start with the onions and sauté till it is light brown. Add green chillies and cook it for a while. Then add garlic paste and ginger paste. Stir well. Add turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well. Now add the grated coconut, stir for a minute or two. Toss in the rice and mix well. Turn up the heat a bit now and add water. Cover and cook till the rice is done to about 80 per cent. Once done, add the sautéed prawns and mix gently. Finish the pulao with a squeeze of lime. Let it all cook on a low heat for five to seven minutes. Garnish with fried cashew and fried onions. Serve hot with Poppy Crusted Pan Fried Jumbo Prawns.