DIWALI menu (mains) - Tamarind seafood curry

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

30ml tamarind

60ml boiling water

1kg prawn, shelled and deveined

500g cleaned Falklands calamari, sliced into rings

60ml oil

5ml mustard seeds

5ml cumin seeds

1 onion, finely chopped

2 sprigs curry leaves

6 lime leaves

5ml salt

10ml crushed garlic

15ml red chilli powder

4 tomatoes, skinned and chopped

10ml ground coriander

5ml ground cumin

5ml garam masala

2.5ml turmeric

400ml coconut milk

fresh coriander to garnish

fresh curry leaves to garnish

METHOD:

Soak the tamarind in boiling water and allow to soften for 5 minutes. Strain to remove the seeds and fibres from the tamarind paste. Reserve the tamarind liquid. Heat oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add cumin seeds. After a few seconds add chopped onion, curry leaves, lime leaves and salt. Sauté until the onion is golden brown. Stir in the crushed garlic and fry for 5 seconds. Add the red chilli powder and stir for 3-5 seconds taking care not to burn the spices. Add the tomatoes and simmer until soft. Add the ground coriander, cumin, garam masala and turmeric. Stir fry the mixture for a few seconds ensuring that the mixture does not stick and burn. When the tomatoes have softened into a thick paste, pour in the tamarind liquid. Simmer for 2-3 minutes adding more boiling water if the mixture is too thick. Add the coconut milk and when the sauce boils, add the prawns and calamari and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander and curry leaves.