Masala Prawns with Lemon and Pine Nut Rice

Saturdays for me are a jam packed day and I only just managed to cook this for dinner. It is another of the recipes from Christine Manfield's Fire, A World of Flavour. Actually the process wasn't complicated at all, although when you look at the recipe it seems much harder then it is.

Firstly soak basmati rice to make the pilaf. In an oven proof dish the base for the pilaf is prepared by heating ghee (I used butter) and adding brown mustard seeds until they pop. In goes fresh curry leaves and nigella seeds (I used black mustard seeds). Stir in chopped garlic, chilli, ground cardamon and lemon zest. Then add the drained rice. Pour in some hot chicken stock, cover, put in the oven until rice is tender. Once its ready mix in lemon juice, salt, toasted pine nuts, mint and I chose to add some peas.

The prawns a marinated for 10 minutes in a mix of turmeric, garlic, chilli and salt. Heat ghee (or butter) and soften some shallots and then add curry leaves. Add tomato, fresh lemon grass (grated with a microplane- great idea), ground coriander and cumin. Cook this until quite dry and then add the prawns. Once cooked finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

It was fantastic, the rice was so delicious and fresh tasting. The prawns were delicious, I really loved the spices coating them. Can't wait to try some more recipes.