Thenga Aracha Chemeen Curry (prawns in coconut gravy)

Sea food, coconut, tamarind and the grinding stone, they all meet in one place Kerala.
A familiar sight in rural my Kerala from childhood days have always been seeing my mother, aunts or grandmother bent over the grinding stone grinding coconut and spices and these would ultimately be used in some curry or other. The aroma and taste of curries made from grinding stone are statements of pure ecstasy on the tongue.

Here is a prawn recipe simple and efficient if you have access to a stone grinder use it

Ingredients

Prawns – 500 gm
Shallots (roughly chopped)-2 tbsp
Green chilly (slit) – 5 to 6 no’s
Ginger chopped -1 tsp
Tamarind pulp-2 tbsp
Curry leaves – few sprigs

For Coconut Paste

Coconut (grated) – 1 cup
Chilly powder-1 and ½ tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Water – 1 /2 cup

For Seasoning

Coconut oil –2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Method

Add coconut, chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and water in to mixer and grind it to fine paste.
In to the earthen pot or (chatti)add the shallots( roughly chopped)chopped ginger, slit green chillies, prawns ,coconut paste , tamarind pulp and salt (according to taste ).
Mix it well using hands and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes to soak in all the flavors.
Now place the chatti or earthen pot on medium flame, stir occasionally.
Cook for 7 to 8 minutes or till the prawn is done.

Pro tip: Grinding the coconut paste on the grinding stone and as well as seasoning the curry with mustard and curry leaves will make it tastier.

Instead of tamarind, kokum can also be used.

Serve it along with steamed rice or appam or pathiri or chappati or puttu