Fresh Tomato Curry and Prawns
A light, fresh prawn curry built on ripe tomatoes rather than a heavy sauce — fragrant with ginger, garlic and warm spice, and quick enough for a weeknight. Bright, tangy and full of flavour.
Why this works
- Fresh tomatoes cooked down give a lighter, brighter curry than a jarred or heavy base.
- Blooming the spices in oil first wakes up their flavour before the tomatoes go in.
- Adding the prawns at the end keeps them plump and just-cooked.
Ingredient notes and swaps
- Ripe tomatoes — the fresher the better; good tinned work out of season.
- Raw king prawns — added late so they stay tender.
- Ginger, garlic and green chilli — the aromatic base.
- Cumin, coriander and turmeric — warm, gentle spicing.
- Fresh coriander and lime — to finish, for brightness.
Fresh Tomato Curry and Prawns
FavouriteFresh Tomato Curry and Prawns offers a vibrant, light, and deeply aromatic profile that creates a rich backdrop complementing rather than overpowering, the juicy, tender bite of the prawns
Ingredients
Method
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
- Add the tomatoes and simmer for 1–2 minutes until the skins split.
- Drain and run under cold water.
- Peel and discard the skins, then roughly chop the tomatoes and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over a low heat.
- Add the shallots and fry for 5 minutes, or until soft.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 10 seconds.
- Add the curry paste and tomato purée.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes, lime leaves and lemongrass.
- Cover with a lid and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and breaking down.
- Remove the lid and boil to reduce the curry slightly into a thick sauce.
- Stir in the sugar, fish sauce and lime juice.
- Add the prawns, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
- Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 minute, or until wilted.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Nutrition
Notes
Don't boil the tomatoes for too long; you just want the skins to split, making them easy to peel. Overcooking them here will make the final texture less appealing.
Take care not to overcook the prawns in this step. They turn pink and opaque quite quickly, and cooking them for too long will make them tough and rubbery.
Take care not to overcook the prawns in this step. They turn pink and opaque quite quickly, and cooking them for too long will make them tough and rubbery.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Tips for success
- Cook the tomatoes down until jammy for the best depth.
- Bloom the ground spices in the oil for a minute before adding liquid.
- Add the prawns for just a few minutes — they are done when pink and curled.
- Balance with lime and salt at the end; fresh-tomato curries need seasoning.
Make ahead, storage and reheating
- Make ahead — the tomato base is better the next day; add prawns when reheating.
- Storage — the base keeps three days.
- Freezing — freeze the base without prawns for up to three months.
What to serve it with
- With basmati rice or warm naan.
- A cooling raita and a fresh chilli on the side.
FAQ
Can I use tinned tomatoes? Yes — good tinned tomatoes make a fine curry when fresh are out of season.
Can I use frozen prawns? Yes — defrost, pat dry and add at the end.
How hot is it? Mild to medium as written; adjust the green chilli to taste.
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