About Prawn gravy / Prawn thokku:
If you’re a seafood lover like me and craving a flavourful seafood side dish, this prawn thokku / gravy recipe is a perfect option. I normally pair this with rasam rice. But it is also a perfect side dish for briyanis, idlis, dosas or even plain steamed rice. The addition of various spice powders like chilli powder, cumin powder, and garam masala makes this dish more aromatic and delicious. Let’s look into the detailed recipe for making the flavourful prawn thokku.
Ingredients for making Prawn gravy/ Thokku
- 500 g prawns (cleaned and deveined)
For Gravy:
- 8 tablespoons of oil (coconut oil/sesame oil)
- 20 shallots or small onions
- 3 tomatoes chopped into medium-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder / 1 tbsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 4-5 curry leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp pepper powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 3 tablespoons of water
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions for making Prawn gravy / Thokku:
Step 1: Marinate the Prawns
- Clean the prawns thoroughly, devein them and set them aside in a bowl.
- Add 1 tbsp turmeric powder to the cleaned prawns, mix well and wash them thoroughly in water and drain them. This step is done to remove the fishy odour from the prawns and to remove the bacteria.
Step 2: Prepare the Masala Base
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, preferably an iron pan, over medium heat.
- Add shallots and sauté them until golden brown.
- Add 2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste and sauté it until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook them until the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Allow this tomato-onion mixture to cool down completely.
- Once it is cooled down, add it to a mixture grinder or blender and grind it to a fine paste.
- In the same pan, add 6 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves and allow them to sizzle.
- Add the tomato-onion mixture paste to the pan.
- Add various spice powders like turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala, pepper powder and salt. Mix well.
- Cook this masala base until the oil starts separating and the gravy turns into a thick paste or a consistency similar to thokku.
Step 3: Cook the Prawns
- At this stage, add the prawns to the prepared masala gravy.
- Add 3 tablespoons of water, mix well and cook for 7-10 minutes on low flame by covering the pan with a lid until the prawns are cooked and tender.
- Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding some water if you prefer the gravy to be thin. However, there is no need to add much water to this gravy, as the prawns release some water naturally during the cooking process.
- Adjust salt to taste and add some more pepper powder if you prefer the gravy to be spicier.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves for better flavour.
Serve your delicious prawn gravy/thokku hot with steamed rice/biryani/idli/dosa.
Tips for the Perfect Prawn Gravy
- Small-sized prawns are better in taste than the large prawns.
- You can also use frozen prawns, but fresh prawns are more preferable.
- Iron pans are great for cooking this prawn thokku since they thicken the gravy easily and give a nice caramelised effect.
- Do not reduce the quantity of the oil, as this generous amount of oil plays a vital role in enhancing its taste.
- Always add the prawns to the curry a few minutes before the end of the cooking process, as the prawns normally cook very quickly. Cook them on a low flame in the masala base and make sure not to cook more than 10 minutes, else it will be overcooked and turn tough and rubbery.
Health Benefits of Prawns
- Prawns are not only delicious but also rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, various other nutrients like magnesium and phosphorus and essential vitamins.
- Prawns are low in calories, making it a suitable diet for people looking for weight loss.
Serving Suggestions of Prawn thokku:
Serve this delicious prawn gravy with steamed rice , briyani, idli, dosa. Enjoy the flavours of this curry.
Prawn gravy / thokku
Learn to make this spicy prawn gravy / thokku at home
Ingredients
- 500 g prawns cleaned and deveined
For Gravy:
- 8 tablespoons of oil coconut oil/sesame oil
- 20 shallots or small onions
- 3 tomatoes chopped into medium-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder / 1 tbsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 4-5 curry leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 3 tablespoons of water
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions
Step 1: Marinate the Prawns
- Clean the prawns thoroughly, devein them and set them aside in a bowl.
- Add 1 tbsp turmeric powder to the cleaned prawns, mix well and wash them thoroughly in water and drain them. This step is done to remove the fishy odour from the prawns and to remove the bacteria.
Step 2: Prepare the Masala Base
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, preferably an iron pan, over medium heat.
- Add shallots and sauté them until golden brown.
- Add 2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste and sauté it until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook them until the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Allow this tomato-onion mixture to cool down completely.
- Once it is cooled down, add it to a mixture grinder or blender and grind it to a fine paste.
- In the same pan, add 6 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves and allow them to sizzle.
- Add the tomato-onion mixture paste to the pan.
- Add various spice powders like turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala, pepper powder and salt. Mix well.
- Cook this masala base until the oil starts separating and the gravy turns into a thick paste or a consistency similar to thokku.
Step 3: Cook the Prawns
- At this stage add the prawns to the prepared masala gravy.
- Add 3 tablespoons of water, mix well and cook for 7-10 minutes on low flame by covering the pan with a lid until the prawns are cooked and tender.
- Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding some water if you prefer the gravy to be thin. However, there is no need to add much water to this gravy, as the prawns release some water naturally during the cooking process.
- Adjust salt to taste and add some pepper powder if you prefer the gravy to be spicier.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves for better flavour.
Notes
Serve your delicious prawn gravy/thokku hot with steamed rice/biryani/idli/dosa.