Prawns in Coconut Masala

Stolen on: January 10, 2007

Prawns in Coconut Masala

John Sherlock

This week we bring you a delicious recipe made for sharing from a husband and wife team in Vancouver. Sometimes, we all get a bit intimidated when trying out a new recipe – eating out is sometimes such an easier option ... especially when the ingredients are not ones that we are not entirely familiar with. But Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala have made this delicious recipe a breeze. Prawns in Coconut Masala calls for ghee which is a type of clarified butter common in Indian dishes. It has a nutty aroma that regular butter does not have. Using ghee gives this dish its fabulous flavor, but if you're really in a bind, canola oil can be substituted. Vikram recommends pairing Prawns in Coconut Masala with a Pouilly-Fumé or Sancerre wine.

Vikram and Meeru's Tip: Once you buy all of the spices and do all the chopping and sautéing, it really makes more sense to prepare an Indian recipe for four to six servings, even if there will be leftovers. If you make just the coconut masala for six, it doesn't take much more time and you can keep the leftover masala in the fridge for 5 to 6 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. The coconut masala, without the prawns, tastes great as a spread on toast, a warm dip with chips or crackers, or even as a sauce to use with steamed fish. If you are serving it with prawns, do not cook more prawns than you need, as cooked prawns aren't very good when they are reheated. Lastly, food and spice measurements in Indian cooking aren't divided or multiplied according to the number of servings. So, if you cut a recipe in half, that doesn't mean that you can cut all the ingredients and cooking time in half and have the same taste.

John Sherlock

About the couple behind Vij's Restaurant: Vikram Vij was born in India and grew up in Amritsar and Mumbai. He studied Hotel Management in Salzburg, Austria, where he worked for several years before moving to Canada to work at the Banff Springs Hotel. He opened the original 14-seat Vij's Restaurant in Vancouver in 1994. A certified sommelier, he loves wine and knows how to pair his innovations with great bottles from around the world.

Meeru Dhalwala, was born in India but moved to Washington, D.C. at a very young age with her parents. Prior to marrying Vikram and moving to Canada, she worked with various organizations on human rights and international development projects. She received her master's degree in Development Studies from Bath University in England. Meeru joined Vikram at Vij's in February 1995.

Vij's Restaurant opened with the premise that there's no such thing as a typical Indian curry. Sourcing local ingredients and approaching traditional Indian dishes with exciting new takes, Vikram and Meeru have created a delectable showcase. Vikram says, "Our recipes, developed and refined over the past 10 years, are as close to our hearts as our marriage."

Vij's Restaurant
1480 W 11th Ave.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
604-736-6664
www.vijs.ca

Prawns in Coconut Masala

Vij's Restaurant

Prawns in Coconut Masala is served at Vij’s Restaurant for $12.50. The recipe is for a serving size of six.

Ingredients
30 prawns, shelled and deveined
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp ghee or canola oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 large onions, chopped
3 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
2 Tbsp coconut milk, stirred
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp chopped green chilies
3 bunches green onions, white and green parts, chopped

Steal This Recipe® step-by-step Instructions
1. Place prawns in a colander and rinse under cold water
2. Allow excess water to drain
3. In a bowl, combine prawns and one teaspoon of the salt
4. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator while you are making the coconut masala
5. In a large frying pan, melt ghee on medium-high heat (or heat oil for 1 minute)
6. Add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle for 30 seconds
7. Add onions and sauté 5 to 8 minutes, or until dark brown but not burned
8. Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk, red wine vinegar, chilies and the remaining one teaspoon of salt
9. Cook for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes are cooked through
10. Add green onions and stir well
11. When ready to serve add prawns, stirring constantly until they become pinkish-orange (this will take about 3 minutes)
12. Immediately remove from the heat
13. Divide the coconut masala evenly among six small shallow plates, then top with 5 prawns per plate

Prawns in Coconut Masala
Calculated for a serving size of 1 (7.97 oz.)
Recipe yields 6 servings

Nutrient Name Amount per Serving % Daily Value

Calories 130 N/A

Calories from Fat 60 N/A

Total Fat 7 g 11%

Saturated Fat 1.5 g 8%

Trans Fat 0 g

Cholesterol 45 mg 15%

Sodium 840 mg 35%

Total Carbohydrates 11 g 4%

Dietary Fiber 3 g 12%

Sugars 6 g

Protein 8 g

Vitamin A 50%

Vitamin C 70%

Calcium 6%

Iron 10%

This recipe is considered low calorie and low cholesterol.
Low Calorie = 120 calories or less per 100 g
Low Cholesterol = 20 mg or less per 100 g

Nutritional information for the recipe provided by CookedApple.com. The nutritional information supplied is to be used as a guideline only and will vary depending on the amount and variety of each ingredient used. This nutritional analysis assumes usage of canola oil instead of ghee.

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