Prawn Puri is one of my personal favourites. In this recipe the most delicious masala Prawns are served on top of a soft delicious Puri with crispy edges!
prawn puri recipe
In this recipe juicy prawns are cooked in pretty much the same way as in this recipe and then served with a hot crispy edged, soft middle puri.
The prawns remain juicy whilst taking on all the flavour of the masala from around it.
I learnt to make Puri via my aunt. She adds toasted or untested cumin seeds and ½ - 1 teaspoon of sugar and salt to the dough. To me, they are perfection. I love the hint of sweetness.
ingredients for prawn puri
Prawns– You can use fresh or frozen. I used frozen prawns and cleaned and deveined them.
Ground Spices– There are very few spices in this recipe so that the flavour of the Prawns comes through.
Ginger and Garlic– Use pastes or fresh.
Lemon – Lifts the dish. A squeeze of Lemon always works well with prawns.
Ghee and Oil – Any oil with a high smoke point is great here. Veg Oil/Sunflower Oil or Coconut Oil are good options.
Chillies– These can be left out if you prefer.
Onions - These form the base of any thick curry. Cooking them till they are golden brown enhances the sweetness and flavour.
Cinnamon Stick - This can be left out but I've found that it adds so much in terms of aroma. You can use ground cinnamon instead.
Pureed Tomato - You can use tinned plum tomatoes or pasta.
Dry Fenugreek - This adds a slightly earth bitter edge and works well with the sweetened onions.
how to make prawn puri
Heat oil and ghee, then add Cinnamon, then Onions. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes till golden brown.
Add Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilli and cook for 1 – 2 minutes.
Stir in Tomatoes and Tomato Puree. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes.
Add ground spices with a little water. Cook for 5 minutes on medium low. Then add Garam Masala and cook for a minute.
Add Prawns and cook for 3 – 4 minutes. You may need to cook them a little longer, depending on the prawns you are using.
Add Fenugreek and cook for 1 minute.
To make the Puris, combine flour and oil in a bowl and then add remaining ingredients. Slowly pour in water mixing as you go until a dough is formed. Leave to rest for 10 - 20 minutes.
Form into balls and cut into rounds or roll out into one large circle and then use a cookie cutter to cut into rounds.
Deep fry until they puff up, float to the top and are golden brown.
how to serve
This prawn recipe is delicious served as a starter, main or side alongside any Curry, Biryani, Rice, Roti or Paratha.
For sides:
storage
Fridge – Prawn recipes are best eaten fresh. At a push, they can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two. The Puris are best made fresh on the day.
Reheating Prawns – If you need to reheat leftovers. you can add a splash of water to a pan and reheat them slowly until warmed through. You can reheat them in the microwave too.
Freezer – I would not recommend freezing cooked prawns.
tips and hints for prawn puri recipe
Prawns require very little cooking. Over cooking makes them rubbery and tough.
A squeeze of Lemon Juice before serving helps to bring the flavours together
This recipe is quite similar to my Masala Fish recipe. You can use fish instead if you prefer.
The base of the recipe is what makes it. So make sure you allow the onions to take on colour.
You can use Tiger Prawns, King Prawns or smaller ones. Just adjust cooking time accordingly.
Prawns require very little cooking. Over cooking makes them rubbery and tough. Any longer then 9 – 10 minutes is too much.
To make a creamy version, add ½ cup of creamed coconut or coconut milk towards the end of cooking.
A squeeze of Lemon Juice before serving helps to bring the flavours together.
You can blend the masala to make for a smooth curry.
I've recently discovered that Puris can be air fried for a healthier option. I will be testing this soon and will update!
Puri - You can bind the Puris with milk instead. This makes for slightly thicker puris which do not absorb as much oil.
more seafood recipes you may like:
**if you make something from tiffin and tea, i would love to see your creations! don’t forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment below! we love to hear from you. safira x
Prawn Puri
Ingredients
Prawns
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 Onions Diced
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 1 teaspoon Green Chilli Paste
- 250 ml Plum Tomatoes Pureed
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri ChillI Powder or ½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 450 g Prawns Deveined
- 1 teaspoon Dry Fenugreek
- 1 Lemon Juice Only, Optional
Puri
- 120 g Plain or Chappati Flour
- 3 tablespoon Oil
- 1 flat teaspoon Salt
- 1 flat teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds Optional - lightly toast before adding to the flour
- Boiling Water
- Oil For Deep Frying
To serve (Optional)
- Onions Diced
- Tomato Diced
- Cucumber Diced
- Tamarind Paste To drizzle
- Natural Yoghurt To drizzle
Instructions
- Heat oil and ghee, then add Cinnamon.
- Cook for a minute, then add Onions. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes till golden brown. You can make a start on the Puri Dough at this stage.
- Add Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilli and cook for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Stir in Tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes.
- Add ground spices (kashmiri chilli, cumin, turmeric, salt) with a little water. Cook for 5 minutes on medium low. Then add Garam Masala and cook for a minute.
- Add Prawns and cook for 3 – 4 minutes. You may need to cook them a little longer, depending on the prawns you are using.
- Add Fenugreek and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and squeeze over some lemon.
- To make the Puris, combine flour and oil in a bowl and then add remaining ingredients. Slowly pour in water mixing as you go until a dough is formed. Leave to rest for 10 - 20 minutes.
- Form into balls and cut into rounds or roll out into one large circle and then use a cookie cutter to cut into rounds.
- Deep fry until they puff up, float to the top and are golden brown.
- Place a Puri on a plate and top with prawns.
To serve (Optional)
- Garnish with chopped cucumber, onion and tomato and drizzle over tamarind and yoghurt.
Leave a Reply