Prawns pickle# Kerala Chemmeen Achar recipe

                                                                           Prawns Pickle

Prawns pickle is my favorite and my hostel companion all the time.Here is my mom's recipe

Ingredients needed

1. Prawns  - 1/2 Kg (small- medium sized)
2. Chilli powder - 1 Tb sp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp
4. Fenugreek powder - 1 pinch
5. Mustard  - 1/2 Tsp
6. Asafoetida - 1 pinch
7. Lime Juice - of 1 small lemon
8. Shallots(pearl onion) - 5-6 nos
9. Ginger - 1 small piece
10. Garlic - 1 medium 
11. Salt - to taste
12. Oil - 1 Tb sp
13. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
14. Dry red chillies(crushed) - 1 Tsp
15. Water - 1/4 cup
16. Fish Masala - 1 Tb sp(for marination)

Method

• Clean prawns and marinate it with fish masala and salt.Keep this for 10 min.
• Deep fry this marinated prawns and keep aside in tissue paper.
• To a hot pan,add oil, then add mustard,chopped ginger n garlic,crushed dry red chilli and curry leaves and finely chopped shallots.Saute it.
• Reduce the flame and add chilli powder,turmeric powder,Asafoetida,Fenugreek powder.Mix it nicely and keep aside.
• Then add juice of 1 lemon.When it gets boiled add fried prawns  with 1/4 cup water and stir nicely.
• Cook this gravy for 5 minutes un covered.By that time the excess water evaporates.
• Switch off the flame and keep it aside.
• After cooling,transfer this to an air tight jar.
• Serve with rice,parathas and even simply as such.

Notes

• If you are using large shrimp,cut it into small pieces.
• Always use clean and dry sppon.
• Store in refrigerator.
• Lemon juice and shallots give extra taste to this pickle.
• Add  2 Tb sp nallenna/gingely oil as a top layer of the bottle.

Recipe source - my mom

Preparation time - 20 minutes 

Happy Pickling

Kottayam Kitchen