PRAWN BALCHAO

This fiery dish from Goa (in coastal western India) is almost like a pickle  serve it with hot plain boiled rice.

INGREDIENTS

1/2  kg small to medium-sized prawns (cleaned and deveined)
2 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
1 large onions chopped fine
2 large tomatoes chopped fine
1 tbsps garlic paste
1/2  tbsp ginger paste
5 dry red chillies
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 stick of cinnamon
4 cloves
1 tbsps sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
Salt to taste

METHOD

Put the prawns in a large bowl and sprinkle salt on them. Keep aside.
Roast the dry red chillies, cumin seeds,mustard seeds, cloves and cinnamon till they begin to release their aroma. Take off from the fire and cool.
Grind the ginger, garlic and roasted spices into a smooth paste using the vinegar.Heat the oil on a medium flame . Add the prawns and stir fry till opaque. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
In the same pan, fry the onions till light brown. Add the tomato and fry till soft,add the spice-vinegar paste, sugar and salt to taste and fry till the oil begins to separate from the masala.Add the prawns to this masala, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.Serve with piping hot, plain boiled rice.