Goan Prawns Ambotik Recipe

With the success of the “Oil-Free Chicken Roast” recipe, I was naturally motivated to turn to yet another of Chrisan Fernandes’ surefire hits. This is one of those Goan prawns curry recipes which goes down exceptionally well with the Goan community. Popularly called “Goan Prawns Ambot Tik Curry” it emerges as a perfect blend of sweet-sour-spicy!

I found the bit about letting the prawns simmer just for 30 seconds before turning off the stove quite endearing. I repeat – the prawns must be cooked no longer than 30 seconds – to keep the prawns from turning rubbery. If cooked for exactly half a minute, the prawns will be as crunchy as can be. And when you talk about the colour of the curry, it’s almost redder than the Red Sea could’ve ever been!

Prawns curry rice

Fish, especially shark fish, goes best with such a preparation, but prawns were the only resource available – so, into the curry the prawns went.  Of course, it isn’t as if prawns aren’t a good substitute for fish.  In fact, it is often recommended.  If there are no fresh prawns, even frozen prawns will do well – though it’s not the preferred option for obvious reasons.  This Goan prawn curry recipe is perfect to a T, with not a grain of sugar or a gram of spice or a drop of oil out of place.  If you meticulously follow her step-by-step instructions – which are oh so detailed and painstakingly put down – I bet you’d never go wrong.  On the contrary, your Instagram handle will score with this delightful reflection of a Goan Ambot Tik saga.

Prawns Amotik Curry Recipe:

Carmelita Fernandes

This Goan prawn curry recipe is perfect to a T, with not a grain of sugar or a gram of spice or a drop of oil out of place. Fish, especially shark fish, goes best with such a preparation, but prawns make a mean ambot tik curry too.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Mains

Cuisine Goan, Indian

Servings 8 persons

Ingredients

  

• 1 kg prawns (deveined, cleaned & washed)
• 2 onions (chopped, retain half for the seasoning and the other half for the masala paste)
• 1 tomato (chopped, save half for the seasoning and the other half for the masala paste)
• 4 green chillies (cut in two)
• 9-10 dehydrated coccum leaves
• 1 soup cube (Maggi is the brand of my choice)
• 3-4 stems green coriander (chopped)
• 2 tbsp refined oil
• 3-4 cups water (use water as per the desired levels of thickness/weakness)

Ingredients for Ground Masala Paste:

• 2 doz dry red Kashmiri chillies (broken in two)
• 1 tbsp whole cumin seeds
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
• 1½ tsp grain sugar
• 2½ tbsp palm vinegar
• 15-20 cloves garlic
• ½ onion (roughly chopped)
• 4-5 stems green coriander (roughly trimmed)
• 1 tbsp salt

Instructions

 

Steps For Goan Ambot Tik Curry

• Marinate the prawns in salt and leave aside for half an hour.
• Place a pan with oil, chopped onions, tomatoes, chillies and coccum on the fire. Ensure it’s on medium flame.
• Stir till the onions turn transparent, then add the ground masala paste followed by water and soup cube.
• Boil for ten minutes and then check for balance, where salt and vinegar is concerned. Go easy on the salt as the prawns have been sitting in a salty marinade already.
• Drop in the prawns as the curry has reached highly simmering levels, follow it up with chopped coriander. Remember that the prawns need just 30 seconds in the boiling curry as keeping it longer would make it rubbery. Remember that the prawns need just 30 seconds in the boiling curry as keeping it longer would make it rubbery.

Chrisan Fernandes, as described in a previous post, is a cousin of mine – one that I am happy to flaunt.  After all, how many cousins cook up storms – she practically has a niche in the category of Goan prawns curry recipes!  While I wearied of my own Ambot tik curry method, I was keen to play the ground of seasoned recipe makers as she.  And so this is a reflection of her Ambot tik Goan prawns curry.

On a general note, COVID-19 is said to have disrupted the world, but it has its advantages too.   I wouldn’t go as liberal to call it warfare, but if it is one, we sure are a fortunate lot not to have to go into the battlefield.  We aren’t called to fight it with guns, so to speak, to get wounded or to nurse wounds from battle.  We are a lucky lot, to merely have to sit back and relax, to wash our hands as we do our groceries and cooking.  To clean, and to cook up flavourful storms in the form of Goan prawns curry recipe.

Nothing like an authentic Ambot tik prawn curry, with the taste of Goa!

Looking for more Goan recipes? You can check them out here to try this lockdown.