Give your seafood a spicy and comforting twist with this quick prawn curry. Reminiscent of Chinese restaurants of the 1970s, you’ll love the flashback as well as the flavours that will be just as popular with later generations.
How to make a prawn curry: key tips
This recipe is super simple as the prawns are already cooked and so you are simply adding the flavours to them.
The idea behind marinating the prawns in cream and salt is to keep them moist and juicy during cooking. It also seasons the prawns. The cream mixture is then used to create a creamy sauce that complements the prawns, adding another layer of flavour and richness to the dish.
Browning the aromatics and capsicum provides flavour to the cream mixture so that it doesn’t taste too bland. Be sure to cook the curry powder in the pan for at least a minute, as the heat will draw out the oils which contain all the flavour so that they incorporate well into the cream mixture. Cooking the flour for another minute, before adding the stock, will also improve the flavour.
Only add the prawns after you’ve cooked your sauce until it’s the consistency you like, as you’ll only need to heat them through, not cook them. Serve your curry over steamed white rice.
Key ingredients in this prawn curry recipe
You’ll need cooked prawns for this curry. The dish is typically made with small- to medium-sized prawns so, if you want to save some time, buy them already peeled.
The cream is used to marinate the prawns, and then as a base for the creamy curry. The curry powder gives the dish its wonderful flavour and colour – feel free to add a little more if you would like a stronger curry flavour.
Go ahead and try more of our best prawn recipes. And these family-friendly curry recipes are lovely and mild and are sure to make curry night something to look forward to.
This recipe was originally submitted by ZARAJ, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.
Ingredients
- 2 kg cooked prawns
- 300 ml cream
- 1/2 tsp salt *to taste
- 2 onion chopped
- 1 green capsicum chopped
- 3 garlic clove crushed
- 50 g butter
- 2 tbs curry powder *to taste
- 2 tbs plain flour
- 500 ml chicken stock (liquid)
Method
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Step 1Shell and devein prawns.
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Step 2Place prawns in bowl and pour over cream, sprinkle over salt and mix through. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until required.
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Step 3Melt butter in a heavy based pan and sauté onion and garlic over low heat until onion is soft, add capsicum and cook for a further 5-10 minutes.
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Step 4Add curry powder to pan and cook for 3-5 minutes, add flour and continue stirring for 1 minute.
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Step 5Remove pan from heat and slowly stir in chicken stock. Return to low heat and cook until it thickens, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Step 6Whilst sauce is simmering, strain prawns, retaining the cream.
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Step 7Add reserved cream to simmering sauce and stir until it begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
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Step 8Add prawns and gently heat through.
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Step 9Serve with boiled rice and pappadums.
Recipe Notes
What is the best way to shell and devein prawns?
For each prawn, use your fingers to peel off the legs and then the shell (you can leave the tail on or give it a pinch to remove). Make a shallow cut along the prawn’s back using a small sharp knife. The dark ‘vein’ should be visible and can be easily removed with a knife or your fingers.
What vegies can I add to this prawn curry?
To bulk up the vegies in this curry, you could add sugar snap peas, broccoli, snow peas, whole baby corn spears, carrots or small cauliflower florets.
Recipe Reviews (6)
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