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Burmese Prawn Curry

Curry Seafood Shrimp Shellfish Lunch Burmese Main Dish Easy
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Curry Seafood Shrimp Shellfish Lunch Burmese Main Dish Easy
4 servings Easy
Total: Active:
15 Ratings 

Ingredients (13)

  • 1 pound medium prawns, peeled and deveined
  • 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (from a 1-inch piece)
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon prepared chile paste, such as sambal oelek
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, plus a few extra sprigs for garnish
  • Coconut Rice, for serving
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Nutritional Information
  • Calories204
  • Fat12.01g
  • Saturated fat1.06g
  • Trans fat0.1g
  • Carbs7.65g
  • Fiber1.8g
  • Sugar1.71g
  • Protein16.62g
  • Cholesterol142.88mg
  • Sodium894.78mg
  • Nutritional Analysis per serving (4 servings) Powered by

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Burmese Prawn Curry

This Burmese prawn curry is the recipe featured in our first ever Cooking with Grandma video. In the video, Alvina Mangrai shows her granddaughter Alyssa how to make the curry that she first learned to make when she was pregnant and living in the United States after moving from Burma. Pat Tanumihardja, author of the blog The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook, transcribed the recipe and shared it with CHOW. She’ll also include it in her book, due out in either late 2009 or early 2010. This curry can be served with Alvina’s coconut rice, also shown in the video.

What to buy: Sambal oelek is a straight-up chile sauce, without garlic or any other flavors added. It is commonly used in Asian cooking and can be found in the Asian section of your market or online.

Photograph by Michael Skrzypek

by Pat Tanumihardja

Tips for Shrimp

Tip
How to Store Shrimp
Shrimp like to breathe, otherwise they start to get smelly. To avoid foul seafood, you’ll first want to store your shrimp in the coldest part of your fridge. If the shrimp was purchased in a bag, open the bag and place a paper towel over the top. Proceed to transfer the bag to a bowl of ice. The shrimp should be okay to use for up to two days.
Read More
1 of 3
Next: How to Freeze Shrimp
Tip
How to Freeze Shrimp
For maximum shelf life, freeze raw shrimp with their heads removed, but shells still intact. Package the shrimp in freezer bags leaving about a quarter of an inch of space at the top. Frozen shrimp can last from three to six months before needing to be discarded.
Read More
2 of 3
Next: How to Thaw Shrimp
Tip
How to Thaw Shrimp
Like fish, frozen shrimp should either be left in the refrigerator overnight or thawed in a bowl of cold water. Never re-freeze shrimp. Most seafood is usually frozen prior to arriving at the grocery store and you don’t want to freeze it for a second time.
Read More
3 of 3
Next: How to Store Shrimp

Instructions

  1. 1Combine prawns, 1/2 the garlic, the fish sauce, curry powder, turmeric, and black pepper in a large bowl and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
  2. 2Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Add the remaining garlic and the ginger and cook and stir until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add the onion and cook and stir until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the paprika and chile paste and stir until the onion is evenly coated.
  3. 3Add the prawns and arrange them in one layer on the bottom of the skillet. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until just opaque, about 3 minutes, turning the shrimp over halfway through. Then stir until the shrimp are fully cooked (cut into a piece for a peek). Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and stir with a couple more flourishes.
  4. 4Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve with coconut rice and a vegetable side dish.
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Burmese Cooking with Grandma Alvina
(06:22)
Video from Cooking with Grandma
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Granddaughter Alyssa helps out with Burmese prawn curry and coconut rice.
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