Serves 4 · Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min
This is the Sunday curry most Guyanese homes know by smell alone. The masala is bloomed in hot oil until it darkens, then the prawns simmer in it just long enough to turn pink and tender. Serve it with roti, or with rice and dhal.
Ingredients
- 1 pack Large Prawns (16–20 pcs), 1 lb / 450 g, thawed, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 2 tbsp Guyanese curry powder
- ½ tsp geera (roasted ground cumin)
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 wiri wiri pepper, whole or chopped
- 2 tbsp green seasoning
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- ¾ cup water or coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt, adjusted to taste
- Handful of chopped shado beni (culantro) or cilantro, to finish
- 1 lime
Method
- Thaw and prep. Move the prawns to the fridge (0–4 °C) the night before. Peel them, leaving the tails on, and devein. Toss with salt, a squeeze of lime and 1 tbsp of the green seasoning, then set aside.
- Make the masala paste. Stir the curry powder, geera and turmeric with 4 tbsp of water until you have a thick paste.
- Bloom. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Soften the onion for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and the rest of the green seasoning. Add the paste and cook it, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until it darkens and the oil separates at the edges. Don't rush this step, because it's where the flavour comes from.
- Build the sauce. Add the tomato and the wiri wiri pepper, then the water or coconut milk. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Cook the prawns. Add the prawns and cook for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until they are pink and curled into a loose C. A tight O shape means they've overcooked.
- Finish. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the shado beni. Taste for salt and squeeze over lime just before serving.
Cook's note: Swap in Jumbo Prawns (10–15 pcs) for a more generous plate. Add 1–2 minutes to step 5.
