Prawns - Chemeen Ularthiyathu

This has been the most requested recipe from me and it's so silly of me of not having published the recipe yet though I keep making this dish every now and then.  Why do I make it often is a topic for another day in itself. But for now before I get lazy and leave it as is in the draft version let me get straight ahead to the recipe. Well before that promise me you would make this dish and tell me how you fared? Plus this goes so well as a stater or as a side dish for your appams or the Kerala red rice. Or just sandwich it between those two slices of bread. 

No fancy masalas, no fancy equipment this easy prawns dish is any malayalee's favourite but only next to Beef fry. Ularthiyathu basically means well roasted and this sea food with its own fat content with the addition of  coconut oil and curry leaves bursts with flavours that can be experienced only if one relishes it clean.

Ingredients	Quantity
Prawns	1 kg
Shallots finely sliced	1 cup
Ginger finely sliced	3 tbsp
Garlic finely sliced	3 tbsp
Green chillies	4-5 no’s or based on your spice levels
Pepper Powder	3 tbsp
Chilli powder	5 tbsp
Turmeric powder	1 tbsp
Coriander powder	3 tbsp
Curry Leaves	Fist full
Thengakothu (Coconut bites thinly sliced )	¼ cup
Kokum	Lemon sized
Salt	As needed

My way of making

1) Marinate the prawns with a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp each of coriander powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder.

2) Cook the prawns covered with NO addition of water along with kokum.

3) When all the moisture is almost dried up which will take just  5 -10 minutes ( keep an eye), switch of the flame and let rest.

4) Meanwhile lets make the gravy. 

5) In a heavy pan heat some coconut oil, to this add the coconut bites. We shall fry this first and keep aside.

6) To the same pan add curry leaves and keep aside.

7) Next add the ginger and garlic pieces and fry well. To this add shallots that are sliced finely. Once translucent add the remaining masalas and let oil separate. This should take some 2-5 minutes.

8) When the masalas are all well mixed add in the the cooked prawns along with any residual water and kokum.

9) Combine well and keep stirring every 5 minutes until you see the prawns well coated and turn brownish to indicate they are roasted. Add in the fried coconut pieces and curry leaves until well combined, garnish with coriander leaves and leave it covered until serving.
10) Serve hot with rice or appams or eat them as is and lick the plate clean.

Notes

1) You could avoid either chilli powder or pepper powder and increase the other. We as a family lean towards more pepper.

2) Garam masala could be used to make it more flavour full. Just see to that it is aromatic and fresh. I would still stick to leaving it out along with coriander powder for the authenticity.

3) You could try adding juicy tomatoes, coriander leaves to make it a wet gravy.