Prawn Masala

INGREDIENTS

• 20-25, frozen jumbo shrimps [washed and peeled]
• 1 cup, tomato puree
• 1 cup, fried onions [blend to a paste]
• 1 cup, chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon, cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon, cilantro [coriander/dhaniya] powder
• 1 tablespoon, garam masala [all spice] powder
• 1 tablespoon, turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon, mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon, poppy seeds [khashkas]
• 4 tablespoons, coconut paste [blend shredded coconut with little water] 
• Salt
• 1/2 cup, vegetable [canola] oil

MASALA UP!!!

1. Coat the shrimps in turmeric powder and 1/2 tablespoon salt --- set aside.
2. In a cooking pan, add cumin, cilantro, and allspice powders, and mustard and poppy seeds and saute them in vegetable oil at a careful, mediocre flame to avoid burning. You may add a wee bit of water if everything flames up fast.
3. Add the fried onions paste and continue cooking until the paste becomes dark brown.
4. Add tomato puree and continue to cook until the red becomes dark brown.
5. Throw in a couple of tablespoons of cilantro at this point.
6. Add the coconut paste and cook for a half minute.
7. Then, toss in the shrimps and cook well until shrimps are tender, and look well-cooked. Avoid over-cooking because shrimp shrinks and hardens to pebbles!
8. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or bread! This even rocks as a salad addition.