How to Prepare a Prawn Balti

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp ajwain
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp basar curry powder OR
1 tbsp mixed powder
70ml (1/4 cup) tomato puree
250ml (1 cup) heated base curry sauce
2 green bird’s eye chillies, slit down the middle
1 tsp tamarind concentrate
3 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro)
2 tbsp single cream
Juice of one lime
250g (9 oz) cooked prawns
Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat the ghee or oil in a balti bowl over high heat. When hot, add the chopped onion and fry for about three minutes.
2. Sprinkle in the ajwain. Be careful not to add to much. It has a very strong flavour.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for about 30 seconds and then stir in the ground spices.
4. Cook the ground spices in the sauce for about 30 seconds and then add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer.
5. Stir in one ladle of the base sauce. Remember, baltis are thick curries so add more if needed but not too much.
6. Add the green bird’s eye chillies, tamarind and cream. Then stir in the coriander (cilantro). Taste the sauce and add lime juice to taste.
7. To finish, stir the cooked prawns into the sauce and season with salt to taste.