Kerala – spiced seafood spaghetti
Yes, pasta is not native to kerala but this sauce and its spicing are brilliant with pasta. The flavours are alive and kicking. Quite simple and one of my favourite.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
300g spaghetti pasta
2 table spoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon
10-15 curry leaves
2 large garlic cloves (finely chopped)
Small piece of ginger (finely chopped)
1 small red chilly (finely chopped)
1 large onion finely chopped
Sea salt flakes to taste
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
2 tomatoes de- seeded (finely chopped)
Small piece of kokum
60 ml coconut milk
500 gm raw king prawns (peeled)
10 basil leaves
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes
Corn flour 1 teaspoon
Method:
- Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water with little vegetable oil ( according to the instructions on the pack)
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and allow to crackle and pop. Toss in garlic, ginger and chopped red chilli and cook for 30 seconds without letting the ingredients brown.
- Once the garlic has softened add the onion and sauté over a high heat for five minutes. Add turmeric powder and chilli powder. Cook if for a couple of minutes.
- Add the tomato and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the moisture is absorbed and mixture starts to turn glossy.
- Add the coconut milk followed by kokum, sugar and salt. Bring it to boil.
- Put the prawns and cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 3- 5 minutes until the prawns change pink in colour.
- If the sauce is too light you can add bit of corn flour to thicken it.
- Toss the pasta into the prawn mixture.
- Tear in basil leaves, stir and season with pepper flakes.
Note:
1) Always mix corn flour in bit of water before adding to the dish.
2) Corn flour is easy to mix in lukewarm water.
3) Add corn flour into the pan only when the coconut milk boils.
4) Always add oil in boiling water while cooking pasta, it prevents pasta sticking together.
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