Spicy Prawn and Cucumber Curry

This curry is actually made with bottle gourd – a pale green vegetable, shaped like a bowling pin. You can easily use cucumber instead as its taste is similar when cooked. The origins of this Malay dish probably lie in India – the use of ground coriander and fennel seeds, as well as the final popping of seasonings in hot oil, all testify to that.
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Ingredients

  • 275 g cucumber
  • 100 g shallots or onions
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds
  • ½ –1 teaspoon ground white pepper or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 3 –4 dried hot red chillies
  • 350 graw headless prawns, peeled, de-veined and washed
  • ¾ –1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 400 ml thick coconut milk
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

Instructions

  • Peel the cucumber and cut crossways into 1cm (½in) thick rounds.
  • Peel the shallots and finely chop three quarters of them; finely slice the rest.
  • Peel the garlic cloves.
  • Chop four of them very finely; cut the other two into fine slivers.
  • Combine the sliced shallots and slivered garlic and set these aside.
  • In a medium pan, combine the chopped shallots, chopped garlic, ground coriander seeds, ground fennel seeds, white pepper, cumin seeds, turmeric and 450ml (15fl oz) water.
  • Crumble in the red chillies.
  • Stir and bring to the boil.
  • Boil, uncovered, on a fairly high heat for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the cucumber rounds and bring to a simmer.
  • Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
  • Add the prawns, salt and sugar.
  • Bring to a simmer again and simmer gently for about 1 minute, stirring the prawns around in the sauce.
  • Give the coconut milk a good stir and pour it in.
  • Bring the mixture to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring now and then.
  • Put the oil in a small frying pan and set over a medium–high heat.
  • When hot, add the slivered shallots and garlic and stir-fry until they turn golden.
  • Add the whole fennel seeds, stir once, then quickly pour the contents of the pan (oil and seasonings) into the pan containing the curry.
  • Cover the curry pan immediately to trap all the aromas.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

Serve with rice.

Tip

If you cannot get ground fennel seeds, simply grind whole seeds in a clean coffee grinder.
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Course Fish / Seafood / Main Dish
Cuisine India