Sri Lankan Jaffna curry powder prawn/shrimp curry.

You can never have enough of this pescetarian curry.

It’s creamy, spicy and has a gravy that begs to be mopped off with a slice of bread.

Love Prawns/shrimp?

Love curry?

Love how a spicy coconut milk gravy with Sri Lankan spices tastes?

Then try making this spicy prawn curry recipe which I make with a good dose of Jaffna curry powder.

It’s a seafood recipe I’ve made for the family numerous times and find both adults and kids love the same.

There’s absolutely no denying the pleasure of watching my family vanquish a pot of spicy prawn curry with a Sri Lankan rice and curry menu.

Delicious seafood, a family conversation while peeling the skin for the smaller ones, listening to them argue about who gets the last prawns left in the pot.

Sometimes the littlest things are the ones that bring the biggest joy.

So go ahead and make this seafood curry and make your own happiness.

Save the recipe to your favorite Pinterest board!

Utensils and appliances needed.
Chopping board and knife.
Large bowl to clean the prawns.
A wok or a large pan to cook the curry.

Workflow to make Sri Lankan Jaffna curry powder prawn curry.

Clean, devein the prawns.

Make the gravy or curry sauce for the Jaffna curry powder prawn dish.

Add the prawns to the gravy.

Slow simmer until curry is thick.

Is the prawn/shrimp curry kid-friendly?

Although spicy, you can easily adapt the recipe for kids by reducing the amount of chilli powder, pepper powder while increasing the amount of coconut milk to give the dish a much more creamier and milder taste.

Do I need to devein the prawns/shrimp before cooking?

Yes, you need to devein the prawns before cooking.

How do I devein prawns?

Here’s a  link that will give you recipe instructions in video form if you like to watch.

Here’s a post you can read on how to devein prawns.

Can I make this Jaffna curry powder prawn curry without the shell?

Yes, grab a pack of frozen deshelled prawns or remove the shell before you add the prawns.

Make sure to cook the gravy longer and then add the deshelled prawns as they tend to cook slightly faster than prawns with shells.

Can I use frozen prawns to make this seafood curry?

Yes, just make sure to check the date of the packaging of the prawns.

How to defrost prawns to make the recipe.

Remove frozen prawns from the freezer, submerge the pack in lukewarm water for 30-45 minutes until the prawns are defrosted.

Additional ingredients you can add to the Sri Lankan spicy prawn curry.

Since prawn curry can be quite heaty, add a few murunga leaves at the final stages of cooking of the prawn curry. 

More Prawn recipes!

Sri Lankan coconut shrimp curry.

Sri Lankan coconut shrimp curry.

Sriracha spicy shrimp in coconut milk sauce.

Sriracha shrimp stir-fry noodles.

Sri Lankan Jaffna curry powder prawn curry.

750g fresh prawns

To marinade the prawns

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder

1 teaspoon of tamarind paste(If you are using tamarind pods that you’ve soaked with warm water add 2-3 tablespoon as it’s not thick or concentrated as the tamarind paste).

1 teaspoon of red chilli powder

To cook the prawn gravy

3-4 tablespoons of oil

A sprig of curry leaves

2 medium-sized onions sliced thin

2-inch piece Cinnamon

2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 tablespoon Jaffna curry powder(click on the link to get my homemade spice powder)

2 cups of thick coconut milk

Salt to season

Method

CLEANING THE PRAWNS.

Devein the prawns using instruction links given above.

I usually cook the prawns with the shell but you can easily remove the shell and cook this seafood curry by following the instructions given above on how to cook without the shells or use frozen prawns.

Once you’ve washed, deveined and deshelled(optional) the prawns, completely drain any excess water and transfer them to a bowl.

MARINATING THE PRAWNS.

Place the cleaned prawns in a large bowl.

Again Make sure there is no excess water in the prawns.

Add 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric, chilli powder, tamarind paste(see recipe ingredient notes if you are using tamarind with seeds) combine well and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

 

MAKING THE COCONUT MILK GRAVY FOR THE PRAWNS.

While the prawns marinate, proceed to make the gravy for the prawns.

Place a pan over low-medium heat and pour in the oil.

Once the oil is warm, add curry leaves, onions to the oil, reduce heat to low cook them for 2 minutes.

Over very low heat to prevent the spices from burning, in the given order continue to add ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, fenugreek, fennel seeds, and mustard seeds. 

It’s crucial that you should not burn the above spices, namely cumin, fenugreek, fennel seeds. If they burn you will find the gravy slightly bitter.

You are aiming for a thick gravy with the taste of the above spices enhancing the curry, for this purpose, keep the heat low and cook not more than a minute before you move on to the next step of the recipe.

Add Jaffna curry powder, pepper powder, followed by coconut milk, stir, season with salt, increase the fire to medium and let the curry simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Taste the gravy if you find it’s not spicy enough, add 1/2 teaspoon of Jaffna curry powder or leave it as it is to simmer.

Once the gravy is reduced and changes color to a beautiful rich brown, add the marinating prawns to the coconut milk with the marinade.

Stir and let the prawn curry slow-cook over reduced heat for a further 10 minutes or until gravy thickens slightly coats the prawns.

Taste and season with salt if needed.

Serve warm with rice and curry.

Sri Lankan jaffna curry powder prawn curry.

Yield: 5

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

SRI LANKAN JAFFNA CURRY POWDER PRAWN/SHRIMP CURRY.

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH OF THIS PESCETARIAN CURRY.

IT’S CREAMY, SPICY AND HAS A GRAVY THAT BEGS TO BE MOPPED OFF WITH A SLICE OF BREAD

Print

Ingredients

• Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
• 750kg fresh prawns
• To marinade the prawns
• 3-4 tablespoons of oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste(If you are using tamarind pods that you’ve soaked with warm water add 2-3 tablespoon as it’s not thick or concentrated as the tamarind paste).
• 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder
• To cook the prawn gravy
• A sprig of curry leaves
• 2 medium-sized onions sliced thin
• 2-inch piece Cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fennel
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 2 tablespoon Jaffna curry powder
• 2 cups of thick coconut milk

Instructions

Cleaning the prawns.

1. Devein the prawns using instruction links given above.
   
2. I usually cook the prawns with the shell but you can easily remove the shell and cook this seafood curry by following the instructions given above on how to cook without the shells or use frozen prawns.
3. Once you’ve washed, deveined and deshelled(optional)prawns, completely drain any excess water and transfer them to a bowl.
   

Marinating the prawns.

1. Place the cleaned prawns in a large bowl.
   
2. Again Make sure there is no excess water in the prawns.
   
3. Add 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric, chilli powder, tamarind paste(see recipe ingredient notes if you are using tamarind with seeds) combine well and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
   

Making the coconut milk gravy for the prawns.

1. While the prawns marinate, proceed to make the gravy for the prawns.
   
2. Place a pan over low-medium heat and pour in the oil.
   
3. Once the oil is warm, add curry leaves, onions to the oil, reduce heat to low cook them for 2 minutes.
4. Over very low heat to prevent the spices from burning, in the given order continue to add ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, fenugreek, fennel seeds, and mustard seeds.
   
5. It’s crucial that you should not burn the above spices, namely cumin, fenugreek, fennel seeds. If they burn you will find the gravy slightly bitter.
6. You are aiming for a thick gravy with the taste of the above spices enhancing the curry, for this purpose, keep the heat low and cook not more than 1 minute before you move on to the next step of the recipe.
   
7. Add Jaffna curry powder, pepper powder, followed by coconut milk, stir, season with salt, increase the fire to medium and let the curry simmer for 15-20 minutes.
   
8. Taste the gravy if you find the if you find the gravy is not spicy enough, add 1/2 teaspoon of jaffna curry powder or leave it as it is to simmer.
9. once the gravy is reduced and changes colour to a beautiful rich brown, add the marinating prawns with the marinade to the coconut milk gravy.
   
10. Stir and let the prawn curry slow-cook over reduced heat for a further 10 minutes or until gravy thickens and slightly coats the prawns.
    
11. Taste and season with salt if needed.
    
12. Serve warm with rice and curry.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 178923Total Fat: 2582gSaturated Fat: 800gTrans Fat: 53gUnsaturated Fat: 1438gCholesterol: 316505mgSodium: 1421690mgCarbohydrates: 2313gFiber: 4gSugar: 15gProtein: 34176g

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