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Tandoori jhinga (smoky charred Punjabi prawns)
Serves 4-6 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1kg large raw king prawns, shells and heads on
- 4tbsp oil
- juice 1⁄2 lemon
For the tandoori marinade
- 4tsp coriander seeds
- 2tsp cumin seeds
- 8 garlic cloves
- 5cm fresh root ginger
- 125g Greek-style yoghurt
- 1tsp dried fenugreek leaves
- 1tsp garam masala
- 1⁄2tsp ground turmeric
- 1⁄2tsp chilli powder
- 1tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder or paprika
- 1tsp salt
Method
First make the marinade. In a small pan, dry-roast the coriander and cumin seeds for 30 seconds over a medium heat, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Using a hand blender, purée the garlic and ginger to a smooth paste with 2-3tbsp of the yoghurt, the fenugreek leaves and roasted spices. Tip this paste into a bowl and mix in the rest of the marinade ingredients.
Rinse and pat dry the prawns, keeping the heads and tails intact. Drench them in the marinade and chill for 2 hours.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the grill to its highest setting or fire up your barbecue. For large prawns, brush with the oil and lemon juice and then either grill or barbecue for 5 minutes. For smaller prawns, thread them onto skewers and brush with the oil and lemon juice before grilling for 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately.
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