This vibrant and flavorful dish features succulent seared king prawns served atop a creamy, gently spiced red lentil dhal, paired with an aromatic tomato topping bursting with Indian spices and fresh herbs. The lentils are simmered with coconut milk, turmeric, and other warming spices. A topping of spiced cherry tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, and curry leaves adds a fresh and piquant note. At the same time, the prawns are seasoned simply with garam masala, salt, and pepper, then seared briefly for a perfectly tender result. A final squeeze of lime brightens the flavours, making this dish an impressive yet approachable meal for entertaining or a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients 27
Prawns
12 king prawns, peeled and deveined
1⁄2 tsp garam masala powder
salt and pepper, to taste
coconut oil, to coat
Spiced Dahl
2 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 onion, medium, diced
3 ‒ 4 garlic cloves, large or medium, minced
2 tbsp ginger, freshly grated
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1⁄2 tsp ground fennel
1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1⁄2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed, picked over
200 ml coconut milk
2 cups water
1⁄2 ‒ 1 tsp fine sea salt, to taste
ground black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Spiced Tomatoes
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
10 curry leaves
fresh turmeric, finely sliced into julienne
fresh ginger, finely sliced into julienne
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 chilli, small, finely sliced
1⁄2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1⁄2 tsp black mustard seeds
1⁄2 tsp fennel seeds
salt and pepper, to taste
To Serve
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
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Method 5
For dhal: In a large pot, sauté the and in the for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the and continue sautéing for another few minutes over medium heat. Then add the , , , and and stir well, cooking for a minute, until fragrant.
Pick over and rinse the in a fine mesh sieve. Stir the red lentils and into the onion mixture and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, covered with the lid ajar, for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom. Stir in a touch more water if you'd like a slightly thinner consistency. Just before you are about to serve stir through the and season with salt and pepper.
For the spiced tomatoes: In a medium-sized fry pan, melt the and then add ginger, turmeric, , and . Sauté on low heat for around 5 minutes. Add and mustard seeds and and sauté for another 5 minutes until the tomatoes have slightly softened. Set aside.
For the prawns: In a large fry pan, heat the oil and when the oil is hot enough add the , cook for 2 minutes on either side being careful not to overcook as they will continue to cook off the heat. Try and cook in 2 batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. Keep the first batch warm, covered in foil.
To serve: Spoon into a bowl, top with 3 and finish with spiced and lastly a squeeze of fresh .
The Chef and Nutritionist's tips
Nutritional benefits of Prawns
• Contain a high amount of B12 essential for our metabolic functions and energy
• Are an excellent source of iodine and selenium needed for thyroid function and brain health
• Prawns are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids essential to our diet.
• They also contain calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and copper minerals.
• They have less saturated fat than other protein sources and more Vitamin E than meat and chicken.
Purchasing Prawns
• Always ensure they're firm and the shells are translucent, either greyish green, pinkie tan or light pink.
• Never buy prawns that have blackened edges, heads, or tails.
