South-Asian Cooking Series: Prawn Masala (Spicy Prawn Curry)

From the blog http://chatteringkitchen.com Stretching all across Asia, from Pakistan to Hong Kong, most Asian nations have curries as part of their culinary heritage. From gourmet curries served in fine dining restaurants to the full bodied ones cooked at home, fathomless variations have developed over the years. Much to the anticipation of any epicure, the flavors, textures and ingredients of curries can be attributed to their geography. Thai curries have coconut milk as their base, Pakistani curries rely on the use of spices and tomatoes and Bengali curries are developed through the incorporation of seafood. As with any cuisine, it is the abundance of ingredients available, with ease, that determines the popularity of the dish. Seafood is popular across destinations that lie near the sea. In Pakistan, the seaport of Karachi is famous for its prawns, crabs and lobsters cooked in fiery spices, whereas in India, Goa is synonymous with Goan curry with seafood and Kerala for its steamed fish in banana leaves. The history of the most succulent seafood curries can be traced by to port cities, where fishing is a source of livelihood for most. Curries are known for their excess liquid that soaks up the rice for enriched flavor. However, this prawn curry relies on its fragrance and flavors and is meant to be relatively dry, hence the name Prawn Masala.