KONJU / PRAWNS MAPPAS
The word Mappas usually brings to my mind a lightly flavoured dish which is tangy and cooked in coconut milk. Mappas is a surprisingly easy traditional Kerala recipe, with a beautiful balance of flavours. It can be made with fish,prawns,chicken and even beef too. Here I have stuck to my ever favourite of the whole lot prawns . Believe me, its finger licking good (and I mean literally licking off the bowl clean).The natural sweetness from prawns and coconut milk is merged with the tanginess of kudampuli and mild spices.
Ingredients
- Prawns (Large/Medium) -1/2 kg
- Make a paste of the below with little water :
- Pepper powder – ½ teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
- Chilli powder – 2 teaspoons (I used Kashmiri chilli powder)
- Coriander powder – 2 teaspoon
- To be Sliced into juliennes:
- Shallots (Kunjully) – 6
- Green chillies – 4 to 5 slit
- Ginger – 1 Inch piece, julienned
- Garlic – 1 Small Pod, crushed and sliced
- Onion – 2 medium sized, thinly sliced
- Coconut Oil – 2 to 3 tablespoons
- Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
- Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon
- Fenugreek seeds – A small pinch
- Curry leaves – A few
- Kudampuli (Gambooge)- 4-5 small pieces (Soaked in warm water)
- Thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup
- Thin coconut milk – 2 cups
- Salt – To taste
Instructions
Clean wash and de-vein the prawns, keep aside.
Heat coconut oil in a chatty (mud pot). Crack mustard seeds, fennel seeds, add curry leaves, followed by a pinch of fenugreek, ginger, garlic, green chillies, & onion, and fry until the onions is soft and turn golden in color.
Add the spices paste and saute over low heat till a good aroma rises.
Add thin coconut milk & kodumpuli and bring to simmer. Add the prawns and season with salt.
Cook covered over low heat till the prawns are done (7 minutes. Do not overcook the prawns. It will turn rubbery) and the gravy thickens.Finally add thick coconut milk and top with few fresh curry leaves.
The chatty will still be hot, so add the thick coconut milk only after 7 minutes of cooking.
When the coconut milk just begins to boil, remove from fire. Drizzle some coconut oil on top and garnish with few more curry leaves.
Serve hot with rice, appam or Kappa. 
