Peppered Crayfish

Yudhika‘s tips

• Prawns can be used instead of crayfish.
• Kasori methi can be found in Indian grocers.

Ingredients

• 12 crayfish tails, shelled and de-veined 60ml sunflower oil or light olive oil
• 5ml mustard seeds
• 5ml cumin seeds
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 7ml coarse salt
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 15ml crushed garlic
• 15ml red chilli powder
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 10ml roasted ground coriander
• 5ml roasted ground cumin
• 2,5ml turmeric
• 100ml fresh cream
• 5ml sugar
• 10ml dried kasori methi
• 15ml freshly ground black pepper
• Curry leaves and fresh coriander to garnish

Here’s how

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan.
2. Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter, sprinkle in the cumin seeds.
3. When the cumin seeds turn golden brown, add the chopped onion, salt and curry leaves.
4. Saute until the onions are light golden brown.
5. Add the crushed garlic and stir until fragrant taking care not to let it burn.
6. Add the red chilli powder and stir fry the onions for 3 – 5 seconds.
7. Add the tinned tomatoes, and stir well.
8. Sprinkle in the ground coriander, cumin and turmeric and simmer on a medium heat until the tomatoes soften.
9. Place the crayfish tails in the tomatoes and simmer until the tails change colour and start to coil up.
10. Add a little boiling water if the sauce is too thick.
11. Pour the fresh cream over the tails and add a pinch of sugar.
12. Use your fingertips to crush the kasori methi over the pan and simmer until the tails are cooked through.
13. Sprinkle the black pepper over the cooked tails and stir gently.
14. Garnish with curry leaves and coriander.