Durban-style prawn curry is a celebrated dish rooted in the culinary traditions of the Indian community in KwaZulu-Natal, particularly Durban, which is home to one of the largest Indian populations outside India. The dish reflects the region’s vibrant fusion of South African and Indian flavours, with aromatic spices, fresh curry leaves and bold heat. Prawn curry is especially popular along the coast where seafood is abundant
| Created by | Spinneys |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 25 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Cuisine | South African |
| Diet | Other |
| Preparation | Moderate |
| Calories | 364 |
| Fat | 20g |
| Saturates | 5g |
| Protein | 37g |
| Carbs | 12g |
| Sugars | 6g |
| Given the cook-at-home nature of Spinneys and natural variations in ingredients, nutritional information is approximated. See details | |
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
Download PDFPeel and finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, grate a 5cm piece ginger and coarsely grate the tomatoes.
Heat the sunflower oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, star anise and bay leaves. Fry for approx. 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chopped onion and sauté for approx. 5 minutes, stirring, until golden and soft. Add the garlic, grated ginger, garam masala, curry powder and chilli powder. Toast the spices in the oil for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds to remove the raw flavour.
Add the grated tomatoes and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the curry leaves, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp sugar and water. Cover with a lid and simmer gently over a low heat for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. (This curry base can be made ahead and reheated.)
Stir in the peeled and deveined prawns. Add an extra splash of water if the sauce looks too thick. Cover again and cook for 4-5 minutes, just until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
To make the chilli coconut sambal, combine the desiccated coconut, chilli paste, ½ tsp sugar and water in a small bowl. Mix well to distribute the chilli evenly.
Peel the fresh ginger and slice it into fine matchsticks. Sprinkle the ginger and a few fresh curry leaves over the curry just before serving.
Serve hot with tandoori garlic naan and a spoonful of chilli coconut sambal on the side.
