Chemmeen masala roast/ Prawn masala roast (Serves 5)

The usual loud enquiry that greeted the fisher women as she stepped on to our compound with that big basket of fresh fishes was “ Do you have any  “valya chemmen” (Big prawns) today “.  As kids, that was the only seafood my elder sister and I ate for a long time. My mom is a Home Science graduate with a flair for  contemporary cooking and had always prepared new new dishes on weekends. I still remember the chemmen/prawn roast she makes which was so fingerlickn’ good. I had promised my husband that I will make him this famous “chemmen roast” as that is the only sea food he likes. But that day my mom was  at my grandma's and I couldn’t get hold of her over the phone. That’s when I remembered this  fish roast recipe that I had tried from Yummy O Yummy with excellent results. So I decided to give it  a try with chemmen/ prawns and it turned out SUPERB!!! Of course, I made a few improvisations here and there, but most of the recipe was followed as such..Addition of fennel seed powder is the secret and key ingredient in this roast and I am positive that nobody can go wrong with this recipe for sure. Thanks a bunch girls for this beautiful and delicious recipe….

To marinate prawns/ chemmen

Prawns/ Chemmeen  ½  kg
Red Chilly powder  2 tsp
Coriander powder  2 tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Pepper powder  ½ tsp
Vinegar 1 tsp
Salt as needed

For the masala roast

Red onions  2 medium, thinly sliced
Shallots  2 nos, sliced
Green chillies  1 no, julienned
Ginger  1 inch piece, julienned
Garlic  5-6 julienned
Tomato puree from 2 medium tomatoes
Curry leaves 4 - 5 sprigs (Add more curry leaves for better taste)
Turmeric powder ¼  tsp
Red chilly powder  1 tsp 
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Fennel powder  1 TBSP
Salt  as needed

Preparation

Marinate the prawns/ chemmeen with the ingredients under marinade for around 30 minutes.

Heat around 1 TBSP oil in a wide non-stick pan. Add the ginger, garlic, sliced shallots,onion and green chillies. Sauté well at medium heat. When the onion turns brown add the curry leaves. Cook for a few minutes and then add the tomato puree. Cook covered until oil separates. Simmer heat and add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and fennel powder.Adjust salt. Mix well and add the marinated chemmeen/ prawns to the masala. Cover the pan with a lid and cook at low heat mixing gently in between. It will take around 30 minutes for prawns to cook. Sauté in between, so that the masala wont get burnt. Once the prawns have cooked, open lid and cook at medium high heat for 10 minutes. Remove from fire and serve hot with rice/ chappathi.

Cheers
Suji