Prawns Koliwada

I love Prawns Koliwada. Before Lockdown, I have been known to hunt it down at different restaurants. I think the best I have had is at Jai Jawan in Khar and Fishland in Thane.


I had no plans to make prawns today. Last night I was searching for my mexican masala paste and I found this dabba of marinated prawns which I had kept for the rawa fry version. I immediately removed it and planned to rawa fry today for lunch.


My son doesn’t enjoy rawa fry and he was insisting I make dynamite prawns. I wasn’t in the mood for that so thought let me try if I can convert these to Koliwada. The online recipes seemed weird. So I message my friend Ameya and he gave me the coating recipe. It was perfect as expected from him. The kids loved it so much that they were sad that there wasn’t more.


Ingredients

25-30 medium to big size prawns

Oil for frying


MARINADE

2 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder

1 tbsp cumin powder

3/4 tsp turmeric

1 heaped tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 .5 tsp vinegar

salt

1 tsp oil 

COATING

6 tbsp besan/chickpea flour

4 tbsp maida/all purpose flour

2 tbsp cornflour

2-3 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp ajwain/carom seeds

1 tsp amchur powder

1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste 

Little water

Salt

GARNISH

1 tsp chaat masala

Lemon wedge


METHOD

  1. Wash and clean the prawns well. 
  2. Mix all the ingredients mentioned under marinade and marinate the prawns for 1 hour.
  3. Mix all the ingredients mentioned under coating with little water so as to make a thick batter.
  4. Transfer the marinated prawns to the coating batter. Ensure its drained of water before you do.
  5. Heat oil, let it get hot enough before adding the prawns. Fry on medium to high heat.
  6. It should take about 4-5 minutes for the prawns to cook on both sides. They need to get golden brown on both sides.
  7. Drain the oil and serve hot sprinkled with some chaat masala and a squeeze of lime juice