Kolambi Rassa / Prawn (Shrimp) Curry

Friday is here and our weekend has started. Weekend calls for some special food and our today's menu is a Marathi meal - Jwari Bhakri (Jowar flatbread) and a spicy sea food curry. Rassa is a hot Maharashtrian curry, where both veggies or meat can be cooked. Here is my take on the popular Kolambi Rassa, less hot and with a few hacks.

Ingredients:
Prawns/Shrimps/Kolambi - 20 big
Lime Juice - 2 tbsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Red Onion - 1 big
Roma Tomatoes - 3 medium
Ginger - an inch piece
Garlic - 4 big cloves
Dry Red Chilies (Byadagi variety) - 2
Bay Leaf - 1
Meat Masala or any other seasoning - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs
Oil - 2 1/2 tbsp
Salt

How to make Kolambi Rassa:

• In a mixing bowl, prepare the marinade. Add lemon juice, chili powder, turmeric and little salt. Mix well. Add cleaned shrimps and coat them well. Cover the bowl with a plastic food wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
• Julienne slice the onion and roughly chop the tomatoes. Finely chop cilantro.
• Heat about 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté until onions turn golden brown.
• Blend sautéed onions, tomatoes, red chilies, ginger and garlic to a smooth paste. Avoid adding water.
• In the same pan, add about 1/2 tbsp oil. Add bay leaf and sauté for a minute or so. Add the ground onion tomato paste and sauté at low heat for a couple minutes. Now add the marinated shrimps (discard the marinade) to the pan.  Saute for about 2 minutes. Now add about 1/2 cup water, meat masala and little salt. Cook it covered until shrimps are cooked. Add more water if required.
• Traditionally, Kanda Lasun Masala is used for this Rassa. Since I didn't have it, I used meat masala. You can use any other spice seasoning of your choice - Garam Masala, Chettinad Masala and so on.

Garnish Prawn Rassa with cilantro. Serve with a flatbread or rice. We love this curry with Bhakri, lemon wedges and raw onions.