Chettinad Eral Masala

Name: Chettinad Eral Masala
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tamil Nadu
Ingredients: 500g, shelled and deveined, tails on prawns; 3 tbsp sesame oil; 15 small, halved shallot; 2 medium, chopped tomato; 8 cloves, crushed garlic; 1 inch, crushed ginger; 2 sprigs curry leaves; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 6 byadgi, 2 guntur dried red chilli; 2 tbsp coriander powder; 1.5 tsp black pepper; 1.5 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp stone flower; 1 small star anise; 1 inch cinnamon; 3 cloves; 2 cardamom; 1 tsp poppy seeds; 3 tbsp, grated dried coconut; 1/2, juiced lemon; 2 tbsp, chopped coriander leaves; to taste salt

prawns in a dark, freshly ground masala of pepper, fennel and stone flower

dairy freeegg freegluten freenut freepescatarian

Chettinad Eral Masala — Photo: Seethabharathi · CC BY-SA 4.0

Prep20 min

Cook25 min

Active45 min

Serves4

Difficultymoderate

Per serving334 kcal

Allergens in Chettinad Eral Masala: crustacean shellfish, sesame.

Ingredients

Quantities for 4.

500g, shelled and deveined, tails on Prawns
3 tbsp Sesame Oilgingelly oil; the Chettinad kitchen fat
15 small, halved Shallotor 1 large onion, finely sliced
2 medium, chopped Tomato
8 cloves, crushed Garlic
1 inch, crushed Ginger
2 sprigs Curry Leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric
6 byadgi, 2 guntur Dried Red Chillifor the ground masala
2 tbsp Coriander Powder2 tbsp whole seeds, dry-roasted, if you have them
1.5 tsp Black Pepperthe backbone of the dish
1.5 tsp Fennel Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Stone Flowerkalpasi; the smoky note nothing else gives
1 small Star Anise
1 inch Cinnamon
3 Cloves
2 Cardamom
1 tsp Poppy Seedsoptional
3 tbsp, grated Dried Coconutor fresh coconut
1/2, juiced Lemonoptional
2 tbsp, chopped Coriander Leavesoptional
to taste Salt

Cookware

stovetop, kadhai, blender

Ingredient names in English →

Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.

Before you start

Grind the masala fresh. This is the whole difference between Chettinad and a generic South Indian prawn curry. Pre-ground powders taste flat here.
Pat the prawns bone dry and salt them 10 minutes before cooking so they do not weep into the masala.
Prawns need four minutes, not fourteen. Have the gravy fully cooked before they go in.

Method

Dry-roast the red chillies, coriander, pepper, fennel, cumin, stone flower, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and poppy seeds in a dry pan over low heat, 4-5 minutes.Low heat and constant movement. The fennel should smell sweet, not scorched. Burnt masala cannot be rescued.
Add the grated coconut to the same pan and roast a further 2 minutes, until it turns the colour of milky tea. Cool completely.
Grind the roasted spices with 4 tbsp water to a thick, dark paste.Cool before grinding or the blender steams and you get a gritty paste.
Heat the gingelly oil in a kadhai and fry the curry leaves for 10 seconds until they blister.
Add the shallots and cook over medium heat until soft and gold at the edges, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the crushed garlic and ginger and fry 2 minutes, until the raw smell goes.
Add the tomatoes, turmeric and salt. Cook until the tomatoes collapse and oil beads at the edge, about 6 minutes.
Add the ground masala and fry it hard for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water whenever it catches, until the paste darkens and oil separates.This frying stage is where the raw edge goes. Undercook it and the curry tastes powdery.
Pour in 150ml water, bring to a simmer and cook 4 minutes to a thick, clinging gravy.
Slide in the prawns, cover and cook 3-4 minutes, until they curl and turn opaque. Turn off the heat immediately.Overcooked prawns go rubbery in under a minute. Pull the pan the moment they lose translucency.
Finish with lemon juice and coriander leaves, and rest 5 minutes before serving with rice or dosai.

Safe temperatures: Prawns, crab and squid are done when the flesh is opaque and pearly right through. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov

Storage

Best eaten the day it is made. Keeps 2 days refrigerated; reheat gently over low heat with a spoon of water, only until warm, or the prawns toughen.

Nutrition Low estimate

One serving of Chettinad Eral Masala (234 g) is about 334 calories, or 143 calories per 100 g.

High protein: 28 g a serving, 34% of the calories

	Per serving234 g	Per 100 g
Calories	334 kcal	143 kcal
Protein	28.3 g	12 g
Carbohydrate	12.9 g	6 g
of which sugars	2.7 g	1 g
Fibre	5.9 g	2 g
Fat	20.8 g	9 g
of which saturated	8.3 g	4 g
of which unsaturated	11.1 g	5 g

Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for curry leaves, stone flower. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.

More like this: Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · Tamil Nadu recipes

Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.