Curried Prawns in the Oldfashioned Way
1.5 kg (3 lb) cooked prawns, shelled (reserve shells and heads)
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
3 large onions, chopped
4 small cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large sticks celery, chopped finely
2 small capsicums, seeded and chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 small can tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoons sugar
1 bay leaf, crushed
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups stock made by cooking the prawn shells and heads in salted water or tomato
juice or wine or water
grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
chopped parsley
Make stock with prawn shells and heads. In a heavy pan melt butter or oil, add
onions and garlic and fry until a pale golden colour. Add curry powder, pepper
and salt, celery, capsicums, tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf, basil and tomato paste.
Cook slowly over a medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir in stock, add peeled prawns
and warm through. Do not cook the prawns or the dish will be spoilt. When dish
is hot, stir through lemon rind and juice. Serve the curried prawns on a bed
of fluffy rice or with lots of fresh, crisply cooked vegetables, hot rolls or
toast fingers. Garnish with parsley.
Serves 4-6.