Cooking with Belinda Mkony

Thai dish with a Tanzanian twist

Twiga has a new cookery columnist, Tanzanian food enthusiast Belinda Mkony. An architect by trade, Belinda also loves to get creative in the kitchen and shares her dishes at catering events in Dar es Salaam and on her YouTube channel. Check her out at forkurmunchies. com. Branding herself the ‘rebel cook’, she loves to kick out the rule book and put her own spin on classic recipes, blending inspirations from local and international cuisine. That mix-and-match style is in evidence in her first recipe for Twiga, a delicious Tanzanian twist on Thai Penang curried prawns she calls Kamba Wa Kupaka. Enjoy!

Alot of my ideas come from expanding my cultural taste buds by keeping an open mind about how flavours intermingle and create an harmonious experience. With this dish I was able to bring together Thai and Swahili culture to create something new and distinctive. It’s all about being a rebel in the kitchen, and letting my creativity work its magic.

Both cultures use plenty of coconut milk in their curries to give it body and my Kamba Wa Kupaka is packed with flavours and goodness. Prawns are meant to be handled with care and cooked very quickly, hence this is a quick and easy recipe. The ingredients are easy to source, the cooking is simple and it tastes amazing. I hope you get to try cooking this curry at home and have fun doing it.

Kamba Wa Kupaka Recipe

Ingredients:

400g raw tiger prawns with tails on, cleaned properly.

1 tsp of turmeric powder

1 tsp of cumin powder

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

1 tsp of hot curry powder

1 tbsp of white wine vinegar

A pinch of Salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium finely chopped onion

1 tbsp of sweet tamarind sauce

2 medium ripe tomatoes finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic finely chopped or pounded to a paste

1 piece of ginger finely chopped or pounded to a paste

400mls of coconut milk

Half a cup of water

2 sliced green chilies

A pinch of sugar

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves to garnish

1 tbsp of coriander stalks finely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Step-by-step guide:

1. In a bowl add the prawns and sprinkle over the turmeric, cayenne, vinegar and salt. Mix them well and set aside for 10 to 20 minutes while you prep other ingredients.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or a heavybased saucepan. Add the onions and sauté them on a medium heat until they are translucent. Add the cumin, turmeric, coriander and curry powder to release their aromas. Once the onions have taken on the vibrant yellow colour of the curry add the garlic, ginger and chopped chili and fry for another minute.

3. Add the chopped tomato and cook for a further three to five minutes until it loosens into a sauce. Sprinkle on some sugar to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes.

4. Now add your coconut milk mixed with some water and tamarind sauce, stir it continuously for two to four minutes until it starts to bubble.

5. Get your marinated prawns, drop them gently in the sauce. Stir to coat them in the spiced curry for a few seconds until they turn pink. This should take no longer than three minutes – we do not want overcooked prawns!

6. Add the lime juice to finish off with some brightness and a zing. Remember, it’s all about creating a balance of flavours.

7. Garnish with coriander leaves and check the seasoning.

8. You can serve with white jasmine rice, basmati rice, chapati, ramen noodles or naan bread and a side salad of some Kachumbari to add freshness.

FOLLOW BELINDA

To keep up with her latest recipes and events, visit Fork.Ur.Munchies on Instagram