Today, I am daring to try to make my own curry paste, not using bought packets of curry paste. My sister gave me curry leaves. These words keep popping up everywhere: Be courageous and strong. I intended to get okra (ladies’ fingers), eggplants, carrots, and green beans to make vegetable curry. Couldn’t get eggplants, green chilies, and green beans; not on sale. Heading toward the cashier, these tiger prawns seemed to be yelling out to me, take me, make curry with me, you will be very happy. It will be flavourful. Bought 20 tiger prawns even though not cheap.

Then walking pass an elderly lady, she smiles at me and I smile back. Then I ask her do you need help? She said yes, I would like only 10 Brussel sprouts and this bag got 20 of them; it’s expensive and I only got S3.00 can’t afford the full price $6.00. I was wondering if you would like to share half. Then I said to her I will buy it and you can have 10 of them. I took it and paid my grocery. Gave her half for free.

Even though I don’t need the Brussel sprouts, since I got it; be courageous to add it with my prawns and okra curry. Strong enough to help an elderly lady when I myself are in need of money; I only buy food that are on sale. Knowing God will provide and He had Blessed me with a satisfying stomach. Glad that my curry turned out spicy, flavourful and delicious. Let’s cook!!!

Ingredients

20 tiger prawns, peeled and deveined, reserved the prawns head and shells
14 okras (ladies fingers), trim end stems
10 Brussel sprouts, trim end stems, cut halved and parboiled about 5 minutes
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 Tbs chili paste
3 candlenuts
3 slices galangal
1 stalk of lemon grass
1 canned coconut milk about 400 ml
2 Tbs coconut oil, borrowed from my father
1 Tbs tamarind paste with 1/2 c boiling hot water
1 Tbs garlic powder, for marinate prawns
2 Tsp ginger powder, for marinate prawns
1 Tbs garlic minced
1/2 Tbs ginger powder
2 Tsp turmeric powder
2 stalks curry leaves only
1 Tsp mustard seeds
1 Tsp cumin seeds
1/2 Tsp cayenne powder (OPT)
salt
pepper
water

Method

Heat a saucepan on medium heat, add 250 ml of water and the prawn heads with shells in. Stir a few times. Then add another 250 ml of water and boil it for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning or sticking to the saucepan. Once the prawn heads and shells become orange in color, the stock is ready. Turn off the heat. Then strain the prawn stock over a sieve: press and extract maximum stock. Set aside.

Meantime, pound a bit and blend candlenuts, galangal and lemon grass in a food processor. Then mix with 3-5 Tbs of water to make it a paste. Set aside. Now add tamarind paste in a bowl, pour in 1/2 c of hot boiling water. Mix well until become juice and set aside. Add 1 Tsp salt, turmeric, 2 Tsp ginger powder, and 1 Tbs garlic powder to ready peeled and deveined prawns. Mix and set aside in fridge.

Heat a pot on medium heat. Once hot, add the oil. Heat for 10-15 seconds. Add the blended paste: candlenuts, galangal and lemon grass, 1 Tbs garlic minced, 1/2 Tbs ginger powder, cayenne powder, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start to splutter add the curry leaves and chili paste. Cook for 10-15 seconds. Continue to stir until oil starts to split.

Next add onion, cook till they are translucent about 1-2 minutes. Pour in 400 ml coconut milk and tamarind juice into paste mixture, and let it simmer for 10 minutes before adding parboiled Brussel sprouts and okra. Cook until it’s soft about 10-15 minutes. When Brussel sprouts and okra are almost done add in the prawns, prawns are cooked when it has turned orange and curled up. Check the salt and sourness. Add more of salt and tamarind juice if needed to balance the curry. Serve immediately with rice and a meat dish. Enjoy!!!

https://helenscchin.com/2024/04/23/brussel-sprouts-lady-fingers-and-prawns-curry/

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