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Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Prawns (Konchu) Kizhi | Prawns Parcel

Do you love prawns ?? My kids go mad over prawns and so I frequently buy prawns whenever I get fresh ones. This time I had fresh banana leaves and so prepared this prawns kizhi (konchu kizhi). These taste best with steamed rice or appams.



Prawns parcel is a delicious recipe that is prepared as a kizhi or parcel. The prawns are shallow fried and then added to the masala in the parcel which get cooked again with the banana leaf flavours and coconut milk adds the richness to the gravy. The masala can be prepared in advance and kept. The prawns can then marinate and prepared instantly if you have fresh banana leaves at hand.This recipe is similar to meen pollichathu, but prawn have no bones and prawns have a peculiar taste than fish. Do try and enjoy with your loved ones !!
                                               

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes
Cooking time ~ 20–25 minutes
Author ~ Julie
Serves ~ 2 prawns kizhi (parcels)
Ingredients
prawns 250 g cleaned, deveined
salt 1/3 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
pepper powder 1/2 tsp
hot chilli powder, 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

tamarind 1 amla size, soaked (2 tsp extract)
onion 2 medium size, fine chopped
tomato 2 medium-sized chopped
garlic sliced 2 tsp
ginger sliced 2tsp
green chillies 2 fine chopped
curry leaves, a sprig
coriander powder, 1 tsp
kashmiri chilli powder 1 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
roasted fennel powder 1/2 tsp
roasted fenugreek powder 1/4 tsp
coconut oil 3 tbsp



Watch on YouTube-


Method
  • Wash and clean, devein the prawns. Add salt, turmeric powder, pepper powder, hot chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste. Mix well. Marinate and leave for 30 minutes.
  • Soak the tamarind in little water. Squeeze out the extract then, keep aside.
  • Heat a pan and add oil. Slide in the prawns as a single layer. Fry for 2 minutes each side and flip other side. Cook the same, drain from oil. Keep aside.
  • To the same oil, add chopped onions, sliced garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Sauté until lightly browned. Then, add the splice powders on low flame and sauté. Finally add in the tomatoes, tamarind extract and cook till tomatoes are soft and mushy. Mash the tomatoes as much as possible. 
  • Add coconut milk on low flame and give a quick mix. Cook till the liquid is dried up, switch off flame. Masala is ready.
  • Wash a banana leaf. Cut the mid-ridge slightly of the leaf without cutting the leaf as in video. This will be used to tie the parcels. On flame, place the leaf and wilt lightly, exposing to heat on all sides. Keep aside.
  • Divide the masala in four. Add one part of the divided masala, then place half of the prawns. Top it with another part of the masala. Hold all ends together and tie the parcel using the cut mid-ridge. Similarly, make the other parcel with remaining masala and prawns.
  • Place the prepared kizhi in a mann chatti and cook the parcels by turning all sides(2-3 minutes each side) until the masala and prawns get nicely cooked and coated with masala.  The leaf gets shrunk and the oil starts to appear on the leaf. Switch off, open the parcels and enjoy with steamed rice.


NOTES
* Use fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds if you don't have roasted fennel powder and roasted fenugreek powder. In that case, add the seeds to the oil just before adding onions.
* I took 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk but added only 1/3 cup.





1 comment:

Angie's Recipes said... Best Blogger Tips

Such a cool and delicious prawn recipe! The prawns must have tasted very good prepared this way.