on Apr 14, 2021 One of the many perks of being married to a Mangalorean is that I get to taste authentic coastal seafood dishes made with the freshest catch. Denver’s grandma has even taught me how to make the tastiest Chicken Kori Rotti and Fish Curry with Coconut. And I definitely enjoy food cooked in coconut oil! One of my favourite Mangalorean prawn recipes is prawns coated in semolina/rava and fried. The prawns are so juicy and gloriously golden brown and crispy. The marinade is really simple made with 5 pantry staple ingredients. And the rava coating, which is the highlight of this dish, comes together in minutes. I’ve also included tips on how to shallow fry the prawns so they don’t overcook and become rubbery!
5 Ingredient Spicy Marinade – Meet Mirsang
This marinade for Mangalorean prawn fry is called Meet Mirsang and is made up of pantry staples. Most Mangalorean households bottle this marinade and refrigerate it, it’s kept ready for use on a daily basis. It’s absolutely amazing and works really well for fish, chicken and any other seafood. I’ve even tried with paneer with great results! For this marinade, we added red chilli powder for heat and that fiery red colour, turmeric powder, for colour and antibacterial properties, cumin powder, for nuttiness and aroma, salt and vinegar to help the prawns absorb the marinade really well.
Things To Keep In Mind When Marinating the Prawns
The marinade shouldn’t be very thin. It’s important to make sure each prawn is coated well in the marinade. So go ahead, get your hands dirty and gently massage the marinade onto the prawnsPrawns don’t take long to marinate or cook. These prawns should be marinated for not more than 20 minutes for full flavour absorption! Marinating for longer is not recommended for seafood because the vinegar can actually start cooking the meat.
How fresh are the prawns that you’re using? Read all about it in my post Fresh Vs. Frozen Prawns
Rava or Semolina for an extra crispy coating
The rava coating makes this prawn fry outstanding and it’s so easy to make! It’s a dry mixture made with rava or semolina, rice flour, and salt. The semolina adds the crunch factor and gives that golden brown colour when fried
The key to getting that extra crispy top layer is to add rice flour. The top layer turns out very thin and crispy. It also absorbs moisture and keeps the coating from becoming soggy when fried. This is just what we want for this prawn fry recipe!We’ve used a 2:1 ratio of semolina and rice flour. This is optimum for the best texture.Coat each prawn individually on both sides in the dry mix until it’s well coated. You can sprinkle some on top too!
I Used Coconut Oil and You Should Too!
I’ve always loved the flavour of coconut oil and use it a lot in my cooking. I highly recommend it for this prawn fry to get those authentic, coastal flavours. I truly believe seafood recipes like Goan Prawn Curry and Mangalorean Fish Fry spring to life when cooked in coconut oil. Coconut oil is also said to be healthier than refined oil, so win-win! But if you just can’t stand it (like my parents), feel free to use any oil you’re used to – groundnut oil, sesame oil or sunflower oil. Here are some tips to keep in mind when frying the prawns:
This recipe doesn’t need a lot of oil – about two to three tablespoons will doPlace the prawns at least half an inch away from each other so they cook evenly. Don’t overcrowd the panCook one side of the prawn till it becomes crispy and golden, and then turn it overPrawns cook very fast. If you’re using large prawns, approximately 3 minutes on each side should do the trick. Any longer and they can become chewy and rubbery. For medium sized prawns, reduce the cooking time to 2 minutes on each side.
Garnish the prawn masala fry with fried curry leaves and lemon wedges. Serve them hot off the pan! Try our easy Green Coriander Chutney or Garlicky Yogurt Party Dip recipes as dips for these prawns!
More Seafood Recipes You Must Try
Tandoori PrawnsHoney Chilli Tiger PrawnsMexican Prawn Taco SaladPan Seared Orange SalmonFish Tacos With Mango Salsa
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