It's how marriages are saved - Raw Mango & Prawn!

Everytime I talk to my amma on the phone, it is a regular practice to ask her what she cooked for lunch or dinner. The only time I curse her on phone, with a wail, "how could you make it when I am not there..." is when she says she made a raw mango and prawn curry. I could eat it, drink it, slurp it down or drown in it. 

The flavours of the raw mango and prawn are married to each other, like a match made in heaven. So before I create a tsunami with my overflowing saliva on the computer, here goes:

Raw Mango & Prawn Curry 

Need

Raw mango - 1 large, peeled and sliced

Prawns - de shelled, cleaned about a cup

Cocum - if the mango is not sour enough

Gravy

Coconut - scraped, about a cup

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Green Chilly - 3-4 

Shallots - 4

Mustard Seeds

Curry Leaves

• Cook the raw mango and prawns till tender. If the raw mango is not sour, you may add cocum slices.
• Grind ingredients for gravy, and add into the cooked raw mango and prawns.
• Add half a cup of water, and let it simmer.
• Season and garnish with spluttered mustard and curry leaves.
• Enjoy with red rice.

Let's start with something fishy...

Let me start by bailing myself out of this. I didn't grow up eating this. This may seem like a shock to many. But honestly, with a working mother, who had time for baking fish in intricate steps. So I learnt to do this on my own. I had eaten it in restaurants, once I had my own money, and trust me, I never understood what the fuss was about even when Gordon Ramsay was seen learning to make it during his trip to Kerala.

But when I did make it at home, for the first time, and I tasted it hot, knowing fully well what had gone into making it, I knew. This is what the fuss was about. When you make it at home, it is simple, worth every mouthful of sinful fish piece coated in fresh ground masala and caramelised onion...there, I see it. Lust. Greed. You sinner!

Now here is how to make it. 

.........................................................................................................

Need:

Thick pieces of fish (I chose seer)

Small onions sliced - a cup

Tomato, chopped fine - a cup

Curry Leaves - 1 bunch

Banana leaf - 1 large

Masala

Red Chilly Powder - 2 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Pepper Powder - 1 tbsp

Marinate

Lime Juice - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 3 tbsp

• Marinate the fish slices with salt and lime juice. 
• Heat a wok, and fry the curry leaves, onion and tomato. 
• Add the masala, and saute till onion is transparent and tomato is cooked.
• In a flat pan, grill the fish and sprinkle some pepper powder on it.
• Rub the prepared masala on the fish slices.
• Wrap the slices in  banana leaves and cook in a fry pan with lid on in simmer for 15 minutes.

.................................................................................................

Best with chilled beer, on a rainy day with only the the drizzle for company. Dig in and let me know when you see heaven! :) 

Till later. Ummas.