I generally buy my fish and sea food from the morning market but this time around it was different owing to the irresistible fresh prawns that were available at the supermarket this time around. The pink delicacies were perfect and I took home 10 of them with me. Wondering about what to prepare with these delightful fresh prawns, I decided to fusion French and Indian styles, making sure the dish turns out to be perfect and delightful.
Prawn is prepared with mustard paste in Bengali cuisine. However this dish does not exactly recreate the common Indian dish, it is rather an original recipe based on that above mentioned Bengali dish. Thus I did use some Indian dried spices but the real ingredient of the dish is one of the most famous ingredients of French cuisine, the Dijon mustard.
Dijon mustard (Moutarde de Dijon) is the traditional mustard of France, named after the capital city of the Burgundy region of France. This is made from brown mustards seeds and an acidic liquid. In the 19th century, vinegar was replaced by the acidic juice of unripe grapes, which gave Dijon mustard its fame. In modern times, white wine is generally used to prepare Dijon mustard and this is what gives its famous strength. Since 1938 the name “moutarde de Dijon” is protected by the French certification of origin called the AOC. For this recipe I used two types of Dijon mustard, one prepared with the mustard grains (a l’ancienne) and the other type for which the grains were strained (l’originale). The mustards I used were from the French company Maille which is famous for its different types AOC Dijon mustards. So here is the recipe of Indian style prawn curry made with French Dijon mustard.
Ingredients
Medium sized prawns : 10
Dijon Mustard paste : 7 tablespoon (a l’ancienne 5+ l’originale 2)
Turmeric powder : 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder : 1 teaspoon
Red chili powder : 2/3 teaspoon
Sunflower oil : 3 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Green chili : 1 large
Nigella seeds : 1 teaspoon
Procedure
Remove the shell from the fleshy part of the prawns without removing the head and devein the prawns.
Add salt to the prawns.
Add 1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder and message the prawns so that they are well coated with salt and turmeric powder.
Fry the prawns in a nonstick deep bottomed pan for 4 minutes in medium heat.
Then change the sides and fry for 2 minutes in medium heat.
Remove from the heat and keep aside. Keep the sunflower oil used to fry the prawns.
Now take 5 tablespoons of Dijon mustard (a l’ancienne, with the grains) to prepare the spice mix.
Add the turmeric powder.
Add cumin powder.
Add red chili powder.
Add salt to taste.
Add 2 tablespoons of traditional Dijon mustard (a l’originale).
Mix well into a smooth paste.
Slit the green chili as shown.
Add the nigella seeds to the oil that was used for frying the prawns and turn to medium heat.
As the nigella seeds begin to emit the smell add the green chili.
As the chili is slightly fried add the mustard spice mix and stir well.
When the oil separates from the spice mix add 1/2 cup water.
Stir well and simmer for 1 minute. If the gravy becomes very thick add again 1/3 cup of water and stir.
Add the fried prawns to the gravy.
With the spatula gently agitate the gravy so that the prawns get well coated. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Change the sides and simmer for 1 minute.
When the oil starts to float on top switch of the flame and remove it from the heat. Do not overcook the prawns lest it will become rubbery.
The Prawn curry a la moutarde is ready. This dish goes well with steamed rice.
Printable Recipe
Calories per serving: 130 kcal
A fusion Indian and French dish where the prawn curry with Indian spices is cooked with two types of the famous French Dijon mustard.
Ingredients:
- Medium sized prawns : 10
- Dijon Mustard paste : 7 tablespoons
- Turmeric powder : 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder : 1 teaspoon
- Red chili powder : 2/3 teaspoon
- Sunflower oil : 3 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
- Green chili : 1 large
- Nigella seeds : 1 teaspoon
Instructions:
- Remove the shell from the fleshy part of the prawns without removing the head and devein the prawns.
- Add salt to the prawns. Add 1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder and message the prawns so that they are well coated with salt and turmeric powder.
- Fry the prawns in a nonstick deep bottomed pan for 4 minutes in medium heat.Then change the sides and fry for 2 minutes in medium heat. Remove from the heat and keep aside. Keep the sunflower oil used to fry the prawns.
- Now take 7 tablespoons of Dijon mustard to prepare the spice mix. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well into a smooth paste.
- Add the nigella seeds to the oil that was used for frying the prawns and turn to medium heat. Slit the green chili. As the nigella seeds begin to emit the smell add the green chili.
- As the chili is slightly fried add the mustard spice mix and stir well.
- When the oil separates from the spice mix add 1/2 cup water.
- Stir well and simmer for 1 minute. If the gravy becomes very thick add again 1/3 cup of water and stir.
- Add the fried prawns to the gravy. With the spatula gently agitate the gravy so that the prawns get well coated. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Change the sides and simmer for 1 minute.
- When the oil starts to float on top switch of the flame and remove it from the heat. Do not overcook the prawns lest it will become rubbery.
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