Chemmeen Theeyal

One of the most famous way of cooking prawns is making theeyal. It tastes great and will go fine with anything, especially rice.

Theeyal, which means “burnt dish”, is a typical Kerala dish featuring roasted coconut and is usually dark brown in color. It gets its color from the toasting of grated coconut and from tamarind water.

The taste and texture of the theeyal depends on the consistency of the roasted coconut mixture we add while making theeyal. Berore dry roasting the grated coconut, it is good to grind the coconut just once using the pulse option on the grinder to get it roasted evenly. Make sure to get the cocount roasted perfectly so that you can grind it well to make a smooth paste without adding water. If you add water, that may affect the texture of the dish.

Let me show you the quick and easy recipe to make Chemmeen Theeyal.

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How to make Prawns Theeyal

Ingredients

Prawns – 200 gm
Grated Coconut – 125 gm
Coconut flakes – 1/8 cup
Shallots (chopped) – 7-8
Ginger (finely chopped) – 2 inch
Garlic Cloves (finely chopped) – 7
Green Chilli (slitted) – 2
Curry Leaves
Tomato (finely chopped) – 1
Tamarind – 25 gm tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup of water
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder – 2 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder – 2 1/4 tsp
Whole Black Pepper – 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper Powder – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Powder – a pinch
Coconut Oil – 3 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli – 4
Salt – 1 tsp
Water – 3/4 cup

Directions

1. Let us dry roast the coconut first. Add grated coconut, 2 dry red chillies, 1/2 tsp of whole black pepper, curry leaves and 1 tsp of shallots into a pan
2. Mix them in between.
3. Once the grated coconut is roasted well, switch off the flame and add 1 1/4 tsp of coriander powder and mix.
4. Add 1 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder, mix and keep it aside. Once this mixture cools down, make a fine paste without adding water.
5. To cook prawns, add cleaned prawns, coconut flakes, curry leaves 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of crushed black pepper and 3/4 cup of water into a pan and mix.
6. Add 1/4 tsp of salt and mix.
7. Once it starts boiling, close and cook for 2 minutes.
8. After 2 mins open and let the water in the prawns evaporate.
9. By the time the water gets evaporated, prawns will be cooked well. Close and take it off from the stove.
10. Now let us make theeyal. Add 3 tbsp of coconut oil into the clay pot.
11. Once the oil is hot, add 1 tsp of mustard seeds.
12. When the mustard seeds splutter, add 2 dry red chillies.
13. Add curry leaves and mix.
14. Add 2 slitted green chilli, chopped shallots and mix.
15. Add finely chopped ginger & garlic and mix.
16. Add 3/4 tsp of salt and mix. Close and cook for 1 minute.
17. After 1 minute, mix it well and saute it.
18. Once it is sauteed, add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder and mix.
19. Add 1 1/4 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder and mix.
20. Add finely chopped tomato and mix. Close and cook for 1 minute.
21. Open and mix. By this time, tomato will be blended well with the masala.
22. Add the roasted coconut paste and mix. This coconut paste is made by grinding the roasted coconut without adding water.
23. Add the cooked prawns into this mixture along with 2 tbsp of water.
24. Add the tamarind water and mix (25gm of tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup of water, then mashed and strained).
25. Once this mixture starts boiling, close and cook for 1 minute.
26. After 1 minute add curry leaves. Close and keep it aside.
27. Chemmeen Theeyal is ready to serve.

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Anish Kumar

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