Chemmen Theeyal / Prawns in Roasted Coconut Gravy

Ingredients

Prawns – 500 gm

Oil – 1 tbsp

Ginger – 2 tsp crushed

Small onions – 3/4 cup  halved

Green chillies – 2 sliced

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Tomato – 1  medium chopped

Water – 1/2 cup

Salt – to taste

Kudampuli / Gambooge – 2 small pieces

Water – 1/2 cup

For Grinding

Oil – 1 tsp

Grated coconut – 1 1/2 cups

Garlic – 5 small

Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Chilly powder – 2 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

For Tempering

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds / Uluva – 1/8 tsp

Small onions – 3 big sliced

Dry red chillies – 2 broken

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan and roast the grated coconut, garlic and cumin seeds till the coconut is golden brown.  Add the spice powders and fry for a few seconds.  Allow it to cool and grind it to a fine paste by adding some water.  Soak the kudampuli in 1/2 cup of water.  Heat oil in a non-stick pan and splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.  Add small onions, red chillies and curry leaves.  Fry till the onions are golden brown.  Take out the fried items from the oil and keep aside.  Add ginger to the oil followed by small onions, green chillies and curry leaves.  Fry for 2 minutes and add the tomatoes.  Fry for a minute and add the ground coconut paste.  Fry for 2 minutes and add the prawns, water, salt and kudampuli along with the soaked water.  Cook covered for 15 minutes till the gravy is  thick and the oil starts to float on top.  Garnish the Chemmeen  Theeyal with the fried items.  Lip-smacking ‘Chemmeen Theeyal / Prawns in Roasted Coconut Gravy’ is ready.  Serve it with rice or chapathis.  Enjoy!