Prawn Gassi: Goan Christmas Recipe

Sea Food

oi-Staff

By Super

Thursday, December 18, 2014, 16:37

If you are a seafood lover then Prawn Gassi has to be there in your favourites list. It is the most quintessential Goan recipe from the Konkan kitty. Prawn Gassi, being a delicacy of the coasts can be a very easy Christmas recipe to try this year. This Goan recipe is basically a recipe of coconut and prawns. Spiced as typical Indian curry, you can enjoy this Goan recipe for your special family Christmas dinner.

As prawns should not be overcooked nor should coconut, this easy Christmas recipe will be a really fast one to prepare. Just about 20 minutes and you are done.

Ingredients Prawn Gassi:

1. Prawns: 10-15 (heads removed and skinned)
2. Ginger: 3 inch piece
3. Garlic: 5 cloves
4. Dry red chillies: 10-12
5. Green chillies: 2
6. Tomato: 1 (minced)
7. Poppy seeds: 1 tablespoon
8. Cumin seeds: 1 tablespoon
9. Coriander seeds: 1 tablespoon
10. Black Peppercorns: 1 tablespoon
11. Grated coconut: 1 bowl
12. Coconut milk: 4 tablespoons
13. Coconut oil (optional): 2 tablespoons
14. Salt as per taste

Procedure For Prawn Gassi:

• Soak all the seed spices in a bowl of water for a couple of hours to soften them. You will be grinding them with wet spices so they need to grind at the same time.
• Make a paste out of ginger, garlic, dry red chillies, green chillies with the soaked poppy seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns.
• Heat oil in a deep pan and pour this paste into the oil. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame. It is best to use coconut oil for this dish but if you find the smell offensive, use white oil.
• As the paste starts browning, add the minced tomatoes and sprinkle salt so that it melts faster.
• After 3-4 minutes add the grated coconut gradually stirring it in. You need to give the coconut just 2-3 minutes on the flame before adding coconut milk.
• If that is too much coconut for you just add plain cow's milk but the original is more authentic. Let the gravy come to boil and then drop the prawns into it. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Non coastal eaters may not be able to stomach the idea of boiled prawns. You can lightly stir fry the prawns before adding to the gravy but do not make them crispy.

Garnish Prawn Gassi with fresh coriander leaves before serving with steamed rice.