Prawn Temperado (Goan Prawn and White Pumpkin Curry)

Ingredients:

• 250 gms. large white Prawns (washed, shelled & deveined)
• 250 gms. White Pumpkin (peeled & diced into large chunks)
• 1 dry Kashmiri Chilli (remove stem & discard seeds)
• 1 cup fresh Coconut (scraped)
• ½ cup fresh thick Coconut milk (optional)
• 2 med. Onions (peeled & finely chopped)
• 2 fresh Green Chillies (slit)
• 1 tbsp. fresh Ginger (grated)
• 1 ½ tbsp. fresh Garlic paste
• 1 tbsps. dry Coriander Seeds
• 1 tbsp. Khus- khus (white Poppy Seeds)
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• ½ tsp. Turmeric pwd.
• A pinch – Sugar
• 2 tbsps. fresh thick Tamarind paste or 4 tbsps. freshTamarind pulp (extract)
• 4 tbsps. virgin Coconut Oil or Vegetable Oil
• Salt to taste

Procedure:
Parboil the white pumpkin chunks in enough water until cooked and just tender. Use the pumpkin along with the water for the curry.

Toss the prawns with ¼ tsp. turmeric powder and set aside.

Heat oil in a pot; use a clay pot, if you have one.

Lightly sauté the chilli, coriander seeds and cumin seeds in oil.

Drain and place in a masala grinder along with coconut, ½ the chopped onions, poppy seeds, garlic and ginger.

Grind with enough water to a fine thick paste.

Rinse the jar with water and reserve for the curry.

In the same pot, first lightly sauté the fresh prawns till it turns to a pale pink. Drain and set aside.

In the same pot, fry the remaining onions till soft and translucent; then add and sauté the spice paste (masala) for a minute,

Add the reserved masala water and ¼ cup water to get sufficiently thick curry.

Add the remaining ¼ tsp. turmeric, tamarind paste or pulp, sugar and slit green chillies..

Give it a stir and let it come to a boil.

Now, add in the sautéed prawns, par boiled white pumpkin along with the water and again bring to a boil.

The curry should be sufficiently thick and not too thin. This depends on personal preference.

Add the coconut milk, if using. Adjust salt to taste. Give it a light stir.

Take it off the heat and allow the flavors to meld for about 15-20 minutes.

Serve with appams, neer dosa, sponge/set dosa, bread, steamed rice, Goan par boiled rice or sannas.