Chemeen Curry

This recipe of prawns is truly in South Indian style. We use coconut paste which makes this curry thick and so creamy that you can relish this with steamed rice. I first tasted this recipe from my dads friends house...many years back but I can still feel that taste in my mouth... it was in thick form and had lots of grated coconut and the flavor of saunf/perum jeeragam/aniseed was very powerful and made the dish so tasty that you will remember it ever and ever...here I have made it in curry form...

Ingredients:

1. Prawns  --  250 gms
2. Small Onions/ Madras Onions/Shallots  --  sliced 1 cup
3. Ginger  --  sliced 2 tsp
4. Garlic crushed  --  2 tsp
5. Green Chillies  --  2 slit
6. Turmeric  --  1/2 tsp
7. Grated Coconut  --  1 cup
8. Coriander Powder  --  2 tablespoon
9. Red Chilli Powder  --  21 tablesoon
10. Perum jeeragam/Aniseed  --  1 tsp
11. Mustard Seeds  --  1/2 tsp
12. Whole Red Chilli  --  2
13. Coconut oil  --  3 tablesoon
14. Curry Leaves few twigs
15. Salt to taste

Method:

• In a pan add the grated coconut and saute continuously till the coconut is nicely brown in color. Now add a teaspoon of coconut oil and saute again. 
• Next add the chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.
• Now add the aniseed into the coconut mix and switch off the flame.
• Grind this mix into fine paste adding little water.
• Now in a clay pot add some coconut oil and when its hot add the coconut paste and saute well.
• The coconut paste should roll in the pot and the oil should be clear i.e, float on top... this indicates that the masala is nicely done.
• Now add the ginger and garlic to it add little hot water to it to blend the coconut paste all together.
• After few minutes add the prawns and saute well.
• Add the curry leaves into the curry.
• Add hot water to the curry and bring it to nice creamy and thick curry consistency.
• Add salt to taste and the prawn should be cooked only for 3-4 minutes or it will become like a rubber.
• Now for tempering in a small kadai heat some oil and add mustard seeds.
• When the mustard seeds crackle add the chopped shallots/madras onions, and broken whole red chillies and saute till golden brown. 
• Add curry leaves and garnish it in the curry.
• Serve hot with steamed rice.