Prawn koliwada is a very popular dish in restaurants across Mumbai and the country, but unfortunately, this interpretation has nothing to do with the Koli community at all. Legend has it that the dish was recreated by a Punjabi immigrant living in the Sion koliwada (a Koli neighbourhood). He marinated the prawns in ginger-garlic paste and chilli powder, dipped them in a gram flour batter and fried them like pakoras.
The Koli recipe is less indulgent; it involves a simple marinade and dredging, followed by shallow frying to a crisp in an iron skillet. This helps prevent the fresh prawns from becoming chewy, and the batter does not mask the flavour of the prawns.
Ingredients
- 25 medium-sized prawns, shelled and deveined with the tails on
- 5-6 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp Koli masala
- 2 tbsp rice flour or cornstarch
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp coriander stems, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fine wheat semolina
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 1-inch piece of ginger
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt to taste
Preparation
- Marinade the prawns in salt, turmeric powder, Koli masala and lime juice. Set aside for 10-12 minutes.
- Pound the coriander stem, ginger, garlic and 1 tbsp of coriander leaves to a coarse paste. Add this to the prawns and mix well.
- Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan.
- Meanwhile, mix the semolina and rice flour or corn starch in a plate. Dredge each prawn in the flour mix and shallow fry in hot oil for 2-3 minutes on either side until golden brown and crisp. Garnish with the remaining coriander leaves.
- Serve hot on their own or with rice and dal.
Excerpted with permission from Pangat, a Feast: Food and Lore from Marathi Kitchens by Saee Koranne-Khandekar, Hachette India.
Saee Koranne-Khandekar has been a food writer and culinary consultant since 2008. She is the author of the widely reviewed ‘Crumbs!: Bread Stories and Recipes for the Indian Kitchen’ and writes extensively on regional cuisines in their historical and socio-cultural contexts. Her work can be read on www.saeekhandekar.com, and in various print and online journals.
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