PRAWNS PAN FRY

This is our new favorite. This is the best alternative to avoid deep-fried prawns/fish. Rice flour and semolina give a crunchy bite to this, and the biting crunch lasts long. They can be prepared in a jiffy.

INGREDIENTS

1. 500 gms prawns 
2. 1/2 Tbsp. Kashmiri chili powder
3. 1/2 Tbsp. pepper powder
4. 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
5.  salt to taste (1 tsp)
6. 4 garlic cloves grated
7. 4 Tbsp oil 
8. 2 Tbsp. rice flour (see Notes for substitute)
9. 2 Tbsp. rava

METHOD

• Thaw the prawns; I have used uncooked, cleaned, frozen prawns. As soon as the prawns are thawed, put the prawns in a colander so that the water is completely drained for at least 30 minutes. After the water is completely drained, add ingredients 2-6 to the prawns and rub the masala into the prawns for at least 2 minutes without stopping.                                                                 

• Just before pan frying, add the rice flour to the prawns and mix using your hands. It should sop up all the juices. Put the tawa /wide pan on medium-high heat. Let the pan warm up.
  
  
  
  
  
  
•  In the interim, dust the rava(semolina) on the prawns. Now, you have to be gentle with the rawa. It need not be mixed into the prawns, but it must lightly coat them. Now, using your hands, gently stir in the prawns with the rava so that the prawns are lightly coated with the rawa. 
• Adding the rice flour and rava is a 2-step process. And do not mix it all at once. If it is done all together, the rawa will clump. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The pan must be warm by now. Add oil, swirl the pan to spread the oil, wait for the oil to become hot, and then layer the prawns in the pan.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Cook on medium-high heat until the prawns are brown, about 2 minutes without covering the pan, then turn over. Turn over the prawns using a spatula and a fork. At this point, sprinkle curry leaves on the prawns. Let the prawns roast on medium-high heat for 2 minutes. You can cover and cook the prawns for the last 10 seconds. Just don't let the condensation fall into the prawns and make it wet. 
• The idea is to brown both sides.

                                       

• Nice with rice, parippu curry, and cabbage thoren.
  
  
  

NOTES

• If rice and rava are unavailable, use corn flour just as you would with rice powder and rava. 
• To make a naadan roast, skip the rice flour and rava and use 2 Tbsp. Coriander powder and 1 Tbsp. Chili powder. Cook the prawns on high heat, turning over for about 2 minutes, and then slow roast till dry fry. 
• Do not substitute ginger-garlic paste for the grated garlic; there is not enough cooking time for the ginger-garlic paste to cook well, and hence, the raw taste remains in the final dish.
• Prawns Roast: For a roast dish. Remove the prawns from the pan after frying. Add 200 gms of chopped onions, 1 tomato, and 1 Tbsp oil to the hot pan. Oil. Sauté it for a little while, add salt (about 1/2 tsp), mix, and then add the roast prawns. Chicken breasts can also be used to make this dish.