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Sri Lankan prawn curry cooked in Coconut milk.

Sri Lankan prawn curry or what some of you may know as a shrimp curry.

A seafood curry with delicious, addictive flavours you can cook under 30 minutes.

Seasoned with curry powder, turmeric, red chilli powder, and pepper, mixed in with onions, tomatoes and curry leaves, this quick and easy prawn curry recipe is an authentic Sri Lankan curry you’ll want to try.

The prawn curry is light yet filling enough to serve any time of the day.

What to serve with Sri Lankan prawn curry.

Best tips to make the best prawn curry

  • You can cook the prawns with or without the shell or use frozen shrimp to make the prawn curry recipe.
  • Pay attention to the flavours of the coconut milk and curry powder-based gravy, each ingredient added to this prawn dish is intentional and helps to complete the overall taste of the dish.
  • Once you’ve made the coconut milk prawn curry once, I would encourage you to experiment with the quantity of curry powder you add as well as try out different curry powders.
  • For thicker gravy, use thick, liquid coconut milk instead of coconut milk powder. the latter is good for an emergency but I find it gives a really thin gravy than the liquid coconut milk.
  • Cook the gravy until the colour changes to a darker brown.
  • As the coconut milk gravy reduces, taste and adjust the spiciness and seasoning.
  • When to add the prawns/shrimp into the coconut milk gravy.
    • Prawns take less than 10 to 12 minutes to cook and they continue to cook with the remaining heat. keep this in mind.
    • Once the gravy is thick and reduced, add the prawns and cook for just under 15 minutes over low-medium heat.
    • If you are cooking prawns without the shell then reduce the cooking time to just under 12 minutes. this will keep your prawn tender and less rubbery from overcooking.

Appliances/utensils to make the prawn recipe

  • Chopping board/knife.
  • Medium-sized bowl to marinate the prawns.
  • Large frying pan.
  • Wooden spoon

More Prawn(shrimp)recipes.

devilled prawns(Sri Lankan, shrimp devil).

Sri Lankan Jaffna curry powder prawn curry.

pepper prawns(shrimp) curry(Sri Lankan)

air fryer shrimp

Storing-any leftovers can be stored in an air-tight glass container. avoid using your new plastic containers as they will stain. refrigerate the prawn dish only when it is cold.

Freezing- you can freeze the curry for 3-4 days. I wouldn’t advise freezing cooked seafood as the texture and taste may change when it reaches room temperature.

Heating– always heat the prawn curry over a stovetop, I would not use the microwave as the curry tends to be pungent and the inside of your microwave will carry the smell for a few days.

Stop food waste by using any leftover gravy for breakfast with some sliced bread. you can also mix the gravy with some cooked ramen noodles for a curried noodle dish.

RECIPE DIFFICULTY- LITTLE CARE NEEDED

How to cook prawn(shrimp)curry.

Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.

Ingredients to cook the prawn curry

500g prawns cleaned and deveined(with shell on or without shell)

1/4 a teaspoon of turmeric powder

2 tablespoons of lime juice

3 tablespoons of oil

1 large onion sliced or chopped fine

1-2 green chillies split

2″ piece of cinnamon

2 tablespoons of grated/minced ginger

A handful of curry leaves(substitute with a bay leaf)

1 large tomato chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoon of chilli powder(increase as per your need)

1 tablespoon of curry powder(use a regular roasted or unroasted curry powder that is available to you)

2 teaspoons of fresh pepper powder

Salt to season

1 cup of thick coconut milk(refer to notes on best tips above for recommendations).

Method

How to clean and devein shrimp.

  • Pull out the heads of the prawns making sure to wash the yellow matter attached.
  • There are two ways you can devein shrimp.
    • The first step would be to make a long slit from the head of the prawn to the middle of its spine and pull out the black vein, this also makes it easy for you to remove the shell while eating.
    • The second step would be to insert a toothpick along the spine of the prawn and pulling out the vein.
    • These two posts on how to properly thaw frozen shrimp and how to clean shrimp can come in handy.

Cooking the prawn curry.

Rinse the prawns with a pinch of Turmeric.

prawns marinated in lime juice.

In a bowl marinate the prawns with lime juice(2 tbsps) and a pinch of salt for 15-20 minutes.

tempering for the prawn curry.

While the prawns marinate, over low heat, in a pan, pour oil(3 tbsps), then sliced onions(1 large), grated ginger(2 tbsps), curry leaves( a sprig), green chilli, cinnamon, tomatoes(1 large)and sauté for 2 minutes until they become slightly brown.

Add red chilli powder(1 tsp), turmeric(1/2 tsp), curry powder(1 tbsp), pepper and salt to season.

Cook over medium heat until the ingredients come together as a thick paste making sure not to burn the spices.

Break down the larger tomato chunks with your spoon.

spice paste for the prawn curry.

Pour in the thick coconut milk(1 cup)and let it simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the gravy reaches a thick consistency.

Taste the coconut milk gravy and season with salt if needed.

Once the gravy is thick, drain the prawns of any liquid and add them to the gravy.

Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and let the prawns simmer in the coconut milk for 10 minutes or just until they are cooked through(refer to best tips for more notes on cooking time).

Serve with rice and your favourite vegetable curries.

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Sri Lankan prawn curry.

Sri Lankan prawn(shrimp) curry cooked in Coconut milk.

Yield: 3
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Sri Lankan prawn curry or what some of you may know as a shrimp curry.

A seafood curry with delicious, addictive flavours you can cook under 30 minutes.

Seasoned with curry powder, turmeric, red chilli powder, and pepper, mixed in with onions, tomatoes and curry leaves, this quick and easy prawn curry recipe is an authentic Sri Lankan curry you’ll want to try.

Ingredients

  • Ingredients to cook the prawn curry
  • 500g prawns cleaned and deveined(with shell on or without shell)
  • 1/4 a teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • 2 tablespoons of lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons of oil
  • 1 large onion sliced or chopped fine
  • 1-2 green chillies split
  • 2″ piece of cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons of grated/minced ginger
  • A handful of curry leaves(substitute with a bay leaf)
  • 1 large tomato chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoon of chilli powder(increase as per your need)
  • 1 tablespoon of curry powder(use a regular roasted or unroasted curry powder that is available to you).
  • 2 teaspoons of fresh pepper powder
  • Salt to season
  • 1 cup of thick coconut milk(refer to notes on best tips above for recommendations).

Instructions

How to clean and devein shrimp.

  1. Pull out the heads of the prawns making sure to wash the yellow matter attached.
  2. There are two ways you can devein shrimp.
  3. The first step would be to make a long slit from the head of the prawn to the middle of its spine and pull out the black vein, this also makes it easy for you to remove the shell while eating.
  4. The second step would be to insert a toothpick along the spine of the prawn and pulling out the vein.
  5. These two posts on how to properly thaw frozen shrimp and how to clean shrimp can come in handy.

Cooking the prawn curry.

  1. Rinse the prawns with a pinch of Turmeric.
  2. In a bowl marinate the prawns with lime juice(2 tbsps) and a pinch of salt for 15-20 minutes.
  3. While the prawns marinate, over low heat, in a pan, pour oil(3 tbsps), then sliced onions(1 large), grated ginger(2 tbsps), curry leaves( a sprig), green chilli, cinnamon, tomatoes(1 large)and sauté for 2 minutes until they become slightly brown.
  4. Add red chilli powder(1 tsp), turmeric(1/2 tsp), curry powder(1 tbsp), pepper and salt to season.
  5. Cook over medium heat until the ingredients come together as a thick paste making sure not to burn the spices.
  6. Break down the larger tomato chunks with your spoon.
  7. Pour in the thick coconut milk(1 cup)and let it simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the gravy reaches a thick consistency.
  8. Taste the coconut milk gravy and season with salt if needed.
  9. Once the gravy is thick, drain the prawns of any liquid and add them to the gravy.
  10. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and let the prawns simmer in the coconut milk for 10 minutes or just until they are cooked through(refer to best tips for more notes on cooking time).
  11. Serve with rice and your favourite vegetable curries.

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Nutritional information on islandsmile is provided as a courtesy. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on the site. these figures should only be considered as estimates.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 460Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 285mgSodium: 1410mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 39g

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Sachin c s

Monday 21st of June 2021

Whether prawn shells are edible? Or should we deshell while having it, like we eat crab?

jehan

Saturday 26th of June 2021

You can cook with or without the shell. You can use deshelled shrimp or shrimp with the skin. Use less cooking time if you are cooking shrimp without the shell or overcooking will turn the shrimp rubbery. regards J

Shehani Gunesekera

Wednesday 22nd of July 2020

Amazing recipe! Super easy & taste is fantastic!

jehan

Thursday 23rd of July 2020

Most welcome. Regards J

Shathir

Monday 2nd of July 2018

A very good recipe!!!!

fattymccupcakes

Monday 22nd of February 2016

Those prawns look SO GOOD!

jehan

Tuesday 23rd of February 2016

Thank you it was really good ☺, hope you're doing ok.

Brian Lageose

Monday 22nd of February 2016

Hi, Jehan! I certainly understand about not wanting to rush a blog post, and there will be times when you just can't get around to it as frequently as you'd like. Don't worry about it. The people who really enjoy your blog will eventually realize that they haven't seen anything from you in a bit, and they will drop by to see how your are doing, just as I am doing now. Write when you have the time, and it will all work out... ;)

jehan

Tuesday 23rd of February 2016

Thank you brian, guess I needed to hear that. Time seems to be my constant enemy☺ and I do appreciate the words of wisdom from a pro writer.

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