Prawn Masala

A fast, fresh prawn curry with real depth — plump tiger prawns in a tomato sauce built on a blended onion, garlic and ginger paste, brightened with chilli, lemon and coriander. On the table in well under half an hour, and far better than a takeaway.

Why this works

• A blended aromatic paste of onion, garlic, ginger and coriander cooks down into a smooth, savoury base — the secret to a sauce that tastes long-simmered but is not.
• The prawns go in last — they need only a few minutes, so they stay plump and sweet rather than rubbery.
• Lemon and fresh coriander at the end lift the whole thing, keeping it bright rather than heavy.

Ingredient notes and swaps

• Tiger prawns — raw and peeled for the best texture; if using cooked prawns, add them at the very end just to warm through.
• Fresh chillies — adjust to taste; deseed for less heat.
• Ground spices — the listed ground spices work perfectly; toasting and grinding whole ones lifts it further if you have time.
• Coriander — used twice, in the paste and to finish; do not skip the fresh hit at the end.

Prawn Masala

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Forget the takeaway and make your own with this straightforward, flavour-packed Prawn Masala

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 29 minutes mins

Total Time 49 minutes mins

Servings: 2 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Calories: 280

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 Onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
• 7 cm Ginger, chopped
• 25g Coriander
• 1 Tbsp Rapeseed Oil
• 400g tin Chopped Tomatoes
• 250g Tiger Prawns
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 2 Red Chillies, chopped finely
• 1 Tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 Tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
• ½ Tsp Turmeric
• 1 Tsp Ground Coriander

Method

 

1. First mix the Spices together
2. Blend the Onion, Garlic, Ginger and 15g of the Coriander to a paste in a small blender.
3. Fry the paste in 1 Tbsp of Oil until fragrant
4. Then add the spice mix and Chillies.
5. Fry for another minute before adding the Tomatoes and bringing to a simmer
6. Cook for 10 minutes until thickened.
7. Stir the Prawns into the curry and cook until pink
8. Season with Lemon juice and scatter over the remaining Coriander.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 34gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 160mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10g

Notes

Be careful not to overcook the prawns, as they can become rubbery. They cook very quickly, so as soon as they turn pink and opaque, they are ready to be taken off the heat.

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Tips for success

• Fry the blended paste patiently until it darkens and smells fragrant — that is where the depth comes from.
• Bloom the ground spices for a minute before the tomatoes, to cook off any raw edge.
• Add the prawns only once the sauce is ready; they cook in 3 to 4 minutes.
• Finish with lemon and coriander off the heat.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

• Make ahead: Make the sauce ahead and chill; add the prawns fresh when you reheat.
• Storage: The sauce keeps 2 days; with prawns in, eat within a day.
• Reheating: Warm gently and briefly so the prawns do not toughen.

What to serve it with

• Basmati rice or warm naan, and a cooling cucumber raita to balance the chilli.

FAQ

Raw or cooked prawns? Raw and peeled for the best texture; cooked prawns only need warming at the end.

How spicy is it? As much as you like — adjust the fresh chilli, deseeding for less heat.

Can I make the sauce ahead? Yes — make it ahead and add prawns fresh when reheating.

Can I use frozen prawns? Yes — thawed and patted dry so they do not water down the sauce.

Try these next

Get to grips with the spices in our How to use spices guide — then explore more:

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