Karandi relish, which is somewhere between a main-course prawn dish and a chutney, will upgrade an ordinary meal considerably, adding a special seafood flavour. Smita Kotian’s recipe calls for a little green mango, green chilly, and kokum as well.
Smita loves cooking good food. In her family she is especially known for her fish curries, particularly surmai (kingfish) and her Aamti.
All photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com
Karandi
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- 200 gm karandi or tiny prawns
- 3 medium-sized onions, chopped
- 1 kairi or green raw mango, finely chopped
- 1 green chilly
- 4-5 curry leaves
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilly powder
- Pinch haldi or turmeric powder
- 2 tsp Malwani masala, preferably locate a homemade brand or else use Bedekar or Kubal
- 4-5 pods garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3-4 pieces kokum, soaked in a little warm water
- Salt to taste, about 1 tsp
- Handful fresh green dhania or coriander leaves or cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Method
- Clean the karandi and soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
Keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan or a kadhai, over medium heat, and add the curry leaves and the garlic.
Saute for a minute and then add the onions.
Once browned, add the kairi, turmeric powder, salt, Kashmiri chilly and the Malwani masala.
Mix well.
Now add the karandi.
- Cover with a plate of water -- this helps the karandi cook well.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the green chilly, kokum water.
Mix well.
Let it cook for another 5 minutes
- Garnish with coriander leaves
- Serve hot with rice/jowar bhakri and Sol Kadi
Smita Kotian lives in Mira Road, a township north of Mumbai.