A delicious Prawn curry made by adding Ash Pumpkin. Same can be made with Lady Fingers, Spinach, White Pumpkin (Doodhi), Potatoes, etc. Or simply with prawns and raw mango. If mango is used in any preparation, tamarind is omitted, as the raw mango adds the required tartness. Serve this delicious lip-smacking curry with steamed rice, chapattis, or kadak pav (hard bread) that Mumbai is famous for, to mop up the gravy…. Leaving the shells on the prawns adds another dimension to the preparation, it renders the prawns juicy and succulent. Suck the juicy curry trapped in the shell of the prawns before removing the peel and devouring them!!

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Large or medium prawns
• ½ kg. Kuwalo (Ash Gourd)
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. oil
• Grind to a paste
• 2 to 3 red chillies
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. peppercorns
• ¼ tsp. turmeric
• 2 to 3 tbsp. coconut
• 1 raw mango
• 2 flakes garlic
• 1 small onion

Method

1. Keeping the shell intact, remove the head, tail and legs of prawns and carefully pull out the vein. 
2. Wash, apply little salt and set aside. 
3. Cut the kuwalo into wedges, deseed and peel. Check out my ‘Mutton Polov’ recipe – to prepare the Kuwalo
4. Cut into 1” cubes and rinse in water, drain.
5. Heat oil in a vessel, add 1 sliced onion and fry till light brown. 
6. Add the kuwalo cubes, 1 tsp. salt and cook till half done.
7. Add the ground masala paste, masala water, adjust the curry.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce flame and simmer till oil appears around the edges. 
9. Add the prawns and cook 10 minutes or till oil surfaces.
10. Check salt and add if necessary.  Serve with steamed rice.