Recipe: Tandoori Prawns

The late Arthur J Pais mastered Chef Hemant Mathur's recipe for Tandoori Prawns. Succulent, tasty bites, they need to be charred perfectly.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp jeera or cumin seeds
• 3 tbsp peeled, minced fresh ginger
• 4 tbsp minced garlic

Ingredients, continued

• 3 tbsp toasted chickpea or all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp garam masala

Ingredients, continued

• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups yoghurt, drained over a bowl in a cheesecloth-covered strainer for a few hours

Ingredients, continued

• 16 large prawns, shelled but with the tail on
• Sea salt to taste, about 1½ tsp
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 lemon

Method

• Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan, over medium heat, for 2 minutes and grind to a powder (keep a little aside, whole, for serving).
  In a large bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, flour, ground cumin, pepper, garam masala, turmeric.
  Add the lemon juice, hung yoghurt and whip into a smooth mixture.

Method, continued

• Add in the prawns, making sure each is well coated with marinade and refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour; six hours is better.
• Preheat the oven to 250°C.
  Place the prawns in a single layer on a rack in a foil-lined baking pan, sprinkle with salt, and roast 10 minutes.

Method, continued

• Take out of the oven and rest 15 minutes and then brush with the melted butter and roast another 10 minutes, until cooked through.
  Arrange the shrimp on a platter, sprinkle with the reserved toasted cumin seeds and squeeze the juice of the lemon over it.
• Serve hot with sliced onions, naan or any flat bread; Serves 3-4.