Spicy and tangy prawn thokku recipe also known as eral thokku is made with gingelly oil, sliced onions, green chillies and tamarind. The thick rich prawn masala taste absolutely delicious with some rice, idli, idiyappam or appam.
Prawn Thokku
Eral Thokku or Prawn thokku is a spicy onion tomato and tamarind based curry made with lots of spices and gingelly oil. The particular dish is made thick and curry like which can be served with rice, idli or dosa.
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About Prawn Thokku
Prawn thokku is a traditional recipe from the south part of india. It is made using indian prawns which are cleaned and deveined. A spicy curry is prepared by sauteing onions, tomatoes and spices in gingelly oil. The prawns are then added in the curry and cooked with tamarind as a result gives a much robust flavours.
Because it is a spicy curry it is best to have them with rice or roti. This particular curry taste delicious with any indian mains.
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Watch Prawn Thokku Video
Prawn Thokku (Eral Thokku) Ingredients
Prawns - for making prawn thokku it is better to use small to medium size prawns which cooks faster and clings to the masala better than large prawns. if you are using larger prawns, I will recommend you to chop it into small pieces.
Onions & Tomatoes - sliced onions or shallots and tomatoes form the base of the thokku.
Ginger & Garlic - add freshly ground ginger and garlic paste for flavour and aroma.
Spice Powders - kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, fenugreek, coriander, cumin and garam masala powder is added to maximize the thokku taste.
Tamarind - thokku always means something tangy. In this recipe we use tamarind pulp which goes really well with prawns.
Oil - gingelly oil also known as Indian sesame oil provides the authentic flavour to the dish.
How to Make Eral Thokku
Making eral thokku or prawn thokku at home is very easy. You just need a handful of ingredients which you might already have on hand. Just take your time to cook it because the result is worth the wait.
Pre Preparation - Soak tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. Squeeze and extract the pulp. Take prawns in a bowl. Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Set aside for 10 mins.
Making Prawn Thokku Base - Heat oil in a large kadai. Add in fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and fry them for 2 mins. Add in sliced onions and green chillies. Season with salt and turmeric powder. Saute this for 5 mins or so till it is cooked. Now add in ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves. Add in tomatoes and cook that till it softens and gets mushed up. Add coriander and chilli powder and mix well. Cook the spices for 2 to 3 mins till the raw smell leaves from it.
Adding Prawns - At this point add in prawns and mix well. Cook the prawns for 2 mins in the masala. because we will be adding tamarind pulp in a bit. Add in salt and tamarind pulp. Now the prawns are cooked, sprinkle cumin powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder. Serve.
How to Make Prawn Thokku (Stepwise Pictures)
1)Marinate 500 grams cleaned prawns with 1 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp salt for 10 mins.
2)Heat gingelly oil in a large kadai. Add in ½ tsp fenugreek seeds and let them fry.
3) Add in curry leaves
4)Add in sliced onions and green chillies
5)Add little turmeric powder
5)Sprinkle some salt.
6)Add in tomatoes
7)Cook tomatoes till it soft and mushed up
8)Add in ginger garlic paste
9)Saute this till it gets cooked
10)Add in kashmiri chilli powder and coriander powder
11)Cook that till masala is done
12)Add in the prawns
13)Mix well. Cook for 2 mins in the masala.
14)Now add in the tamarind pulp. Add more salt if needed.
15)Mix it well.
16) Now cook this till prawns are completely cooked. It will take another 10 mins or so.
17)Add in roasted cumin powder and garam masala powder.
18)Add in freshly ground black pepper powder
19)Serve
Expert Tips
- Use gingelly oil for making this for best flavour.
- I don't prefer using the tail in prawn. But you can use that if you want.
- Take your time to cook the masala. It makes the curry delicious.
- You can add a small amount of jaggery in the curry if needed.
Serving & Storage
Prawn thokku can be cooled and stored in a container in fridge for up to 4 days.
Eral thokku taste delicious with rice. I like to serve it with steamed rice, either red matta rice or regular white rice. but it taste delicious with
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Prawn Thokku | Prawn Thokku Recipe | Eral Thokku Recipe
Ingredients
For Marination
- 500 grams prawns deveined and tails removed
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
For Prawn Thokku
- ¼ cup Gingelly oil
- ½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds | Vendayam
- 1 handful Curry leaves
- 2 large Onions sliced
- 5 Green chillies slit
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2 large Tomatoes sliced
- 2 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp Coriander powder
- 1 gooseberry size Tamarind
- 1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala powder
- 2 tsp Black Pepper powder
Instructions
- Soak tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. Squeeze and extract the pulp.
- Take prawns in a bowl. Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Set aside for 10 mins.
- Heat oil in a large kadai. Add in fenugreek seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add in curry leaves and fry them for 2 mins.
- Add in sliced onions and green chillies. Season with salt and turmeric powder. Saute this for 5 mins or so till it is cooked.
- Now add in ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves.
- Add in tomatoes and cook that till it softens and gets mushed up.
- Add coriander and chilli p[owder and mix well. Cook the spices for 2 to 3 mins till the raw smell leaves from it.
- At this point add in prawns and mix well. Cook the prawns for 2 mins in the masala.
- Add in salt and tamarind pulp.
- Mix that well and cook this whole thing on low heat for 10 to 15 mins.
- Now the prawns are cooked, sprinkle cumin powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder. Mix well.
- Serve.
Video
Notes
- Use gingelly oil for making this for best flavour.
- I don't prefer using the tail in prawn. But you can use that if you want.
- Take your time to cook the masala. It makes the curry delicious.
- You can add a small amount of jaggery in the curry if needed.
Storage
Prawn thokku can be cooled and stored in a container in fridge for up to 4 days.Serving Suggestions
Eral thokku taste delicious with rice. I like to serve it with steamed rice, either red matta rice or regular white rice. but it taste delicious withNutrition
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