Jalfrezi is one of the UK’s most popular restaurant curries, especially for those who like their curry to have a strong and fiery flavour. It also features sweet and sour notes, giving it a real zing on the palate. The blend includes Spanish Tomato powder, which gives the dish a lovely colour and also helps to give it a rich, thick sauce. The method of cooking is much faster than many Indian dishes, and this gives the Jalfrezi a fresh and vibrant character which balances its heat perfectly. Being so quick to make it is a wonderfully flavourful midweek supper. You can of course use chicken, meat, fish or vegetables for your Jalfrezi, but we love it made with the fattest, juiciest prawns we can find!

01.

Ingredients

12 large king prawns
1 large onions, thinly sliced
2 green peppers, thinly sliced
2in piece of ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes, quartered
2-3tsp Spice Mountain Spicy Jalfrezi blend (depending on how fiery you like it!)
1tsp Spice Mountain Green Jalapeno powder
2 tbs lemon juice
1tsp jaggery (Indian raw sugar – use 1tsp brown sugar if you don’t have any)
1tsp Spice Mountain garam masala; good handful of chopped fresh coriander

02.

Method

  • First peel your prawns, leaving the tails on. Then run a sharp knife down the back of the prawns and clean away the gunk. Cutting the prawns like this will also butterfly them, making them seem even bigger.
  • Now mix 1tsp of the jalfrezi blend with the lemon juice, and combine this mixture with the prawns, leaving them to stand for a while.
  • Heat a wok or deep frying pan then add 1tbsp of mustard oil (vegetable oil is fine too). Throw in all the vegetables except the tomatoes, and stir fry these for a few minutes until they are just beginning to colour. Now add the tomatoes, the prawns, sugar, the other 2 tsp of jalfrezi blend, and finally the green jalapeno powder. Stir fry on a high heat, adding a splash of water to stop from burning if needed. When the prawns are cooked (about 5 minutes or even less) add the garam masala and enough water to make a thick sauce, and lastly stir in the coriander.
  • Serve with some cucumber raita (diced cucumber and natural yoghurt and chopped mint) and plain basmati rice, with some naan bread or chapatis to mop up the sauce.