ചെമ്മീനും മാങ്ങയും - prawns and mango in ground coconut curry

Have just a little bit of small prawns in hand. Make chemmeen and manga curry. I like this with rice and cherupayar thoren.

INGREDIENTS

1. 250 gms small prawns, shelled and deveined (I have used store bought cooked and salted prawns)
2. 1 cup grated coconut
3. 1-1/2 cups (200 gms) chopped raw sour mango pieces (taste and see, if not very sour use kudampulli)
4. 2 small kodampulli , soaked in water (use only if the mangoes are not very sour)
5. 4 green chilies,seeds removed
6. 2 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp. chopped onion
7. 6 +6 curry leaves
8. 1 tsp turmeric powder
9. 1 Tbsp oil 
   
10. 1/2 tsp red chili powder
11. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
12. salt to taste (I like the sourness to stand out than the salt, so go easy on the salt)
13. water for grinding and diluting
    

METHOD

• I have used an earthen pot to cook this.
• Put the chopped mangoes and kudampulli(if using) and salt , in the pot with 1 cup water and bring to a boil . Simmer boil till the mangoes are tender. 
  
  
  
  

• Meanwhile put the coconut, green chilies, 6 curry leaves,2 Tbsp. chopped onions, turmeric powder, and sufficient water and grind it to a fine paste.
  

• When the mangoes are cooked, add the prawns along with chili powder and bring to a boil. Add salt as required.
• Before adding the ground coconut, taste and see. If the curry needs more sourness add one more kodumpulli. Then add the ground coconut mixture to the cooked mangoes and prawns.Turn off the stove.The coconut mixture will cook in the heat retained. Check for salt.
  

• Heat a pan, when warm add oil, when the oil is hot, the mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Then add the 2 Tbsp. of chopped onions and curry leaves. Let the onions brown. Add this seasoning into the curry.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

NOTES

• The taste of the curry comes from seasoning the onions in oil.
• The red chili powder adds color. But not too much of red chili powder should be used. My mother gives a lot of importance to the color and look of the dishes and this curry has to be yellow. So, if you want more heat, add more green chilies. 
• The mangoes can be cooked in the pressure cooker too, if they are too firm. 
• Cooking the prawns along with the mangoes, chili powder, and salt helps the prawns to absorb some of the seasoning before adding the ground coconut.
• Don't have raw mangoes in stock??? Substitute 1 big tomato. Tamarind pulp can be used instead of kudampulli.  Coriander powder goes well with tomato. Use less salt because you are skipping the mangoes. Cut the tomatoes into very small pieces and it will cook and disintegrate into the curry as it cooks. 
• Do we need dry red chilies for the seasoning? Yes we do, but I am trying to keep the oil to 1 Tbsp. so I had to skip the red chilies. The curry is tasty without them, anyway!