Goan dry prawns curry recipe is known as sukya sungtache hooman in Goa. This is a coconut based mildly spiced curry to which dry prawns or shrimps are added. Vegetables like drumsticks or raw mango can be added. Sukya Sungtache Hooman – Sukya means dry, Sungtache means made of prawns and Hooman means fish curry. This is a traditional and authentic Goan dish that we Goans make specially during the rainy season.
I have added drumsticks to this Goan style dry prawns curry just like curry made with fresh prawns. You can add raw mango or radish too. However, some people in Goa don’t add any type of vegetables to this curry. So, addition of any vegetable is optional.
Ingredients needed to make dry prawns curry:
- Dry prawns: Dry prawns or dry shrimps should be used in this Goan curry. Remove the head and discard.
- Coconut: Freshly grated coconut is used in this recipe.
- Spices: Spices like turmeric powder, tamarind, dry red chilies, coriander seeds, black peppercorns are used in this recipe.
- Drumstick: We can use any vegetable like radish, drumstick or raw mango in this recipe. This is optional.
- Onion: Onion is added while cooking. This is also optional. I prefer to give a tadka with burnt onion to the curry after it is ready. This lends a nice smoky flavour. However, this is also optional.
How to prepare dry prawns curry:
- Remove the heads of the dry prawns and discard.
- In a non-stick pan or kadai, add 1 tablespoon oil and slightly roast the dry prawns without head and keep them aside.
- Peel and chop the drumstick into 5-6 pieces. Boil these drumstick pieces separately in water and keep it aside.
- Grind grated coconut, turmeric powder, tamarind, peppercorns, coriander and red chilies by adding 1/2 cup water into a thick smooth gravy.
- In a kadai or deep bottomed bowl, add oil and fry the onions till they turn pinkish.
- Add the gravy and stir. Add 1/2 cup water to the gravy.
- Add boiled drumsticks to the gravy and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the dry prawns and again simmer for 10 minutes.
- Close the lid of the pan and switch off the gas.
- After this, take a tadka pan, add oil to it and fry 1/4 chopped onion on high flame till the onion gets burnt.
- After it burns, slightly open the lid of the bowl in which the gravy is present and carefully immerse the tadka pan into the gravy.This gives a classic smoked flavour to the gravy.
In Goa during the rainy seasons whenever we don’t get fresh fish, we use dry fish like dry mackerels, dry prawns, etc to make dishes and to satisfy our fish cravings. We Goans are pesco vegetarians meaning fish eating people. In Goa most people don’t eat fish on Mondays and Thursdays. But they crave for fish even on those non-fish-eating days.
So, when there is no fresh fish available in market during the rainy season, we Goans manage with dry fish. During monsoon, the fisherman is not allowed to fish as it is the breeding season for the fish. Also, it is risky for them to venture into the Arabian Sea with their fishing trawlers. So, from June to mid-August fisherman are not allowed to go fishing in Goan seas.
Being in Bangalore for so many years, we sometimes survive on dry fish . That we get from Goa during our visits there.
Also check top 10 Goan fish curry recipes.
Serve curry with dry prawns with rice and dry prawns kismoor and some fried fish.
Try this Goan dry mackerel curry or sukya bangdyache hooman and have a great time.
Sukya Sungtache Hooman | Goan Dry Prawns Curry
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry prawns
- 1 cup coconut grated
- 1 tamarind marble sized ball
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 4-5 dry red chilies /byadgi chilies / shepda / Kashmiri red chilies
- 5 peppercorns
- 1 drumstick peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 + 1/4 onion chopped
Instructions
- In a non-stick pan or kadai, add 1 tablespoon oil and slightly roast the dry prawns and keep them aside.
- Peel and chop the drumstick into 5-6 pieces. Boil these drumstick pieces separately in water and keep it aside.
- Grind grated coconut, turmeric powder, tamarind, peppercorns, coriander and red chilies by adding 1/2 cup water into a thick smooth gravy. Keep aside.
- In a kadai or deep bottomed bowl, add oil and fry 1/2 chopped onions till they turn pinkish.
- Add the gravy from mixer/grinder and stir. Add 1/2 cup water to the gravy.
- Add boiled drumsticks to the gravy and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the dry prawns and again simmer for 10 minutes.
- Close the lid of the pan and switch off the gas.
- After this, take a tadka pan, add oil to it and fry 1/4 chopped onion on high flame till the onion gets slightly burnt.
- After it gets slightly burns, open the lid of the aluminium bowl in which the gravy is present and carefully immerse the tadka pan into the gravy.
- This gives a classic smoked flavor to the gravy.
Notes
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Note: The post was published on 17 Nov 2013 and is republished with pinterest image.
Sapana Behl
Must be flavorful..
Priya R
I love goan curry can imagine how good this must be
divya
yummy n scrumptious ..
Priya Suresh
The colour of the dish itself is very pleasing and attractive,mouthwatering prawn curry.
Vimitha Anand
Nice flavorful curry
Shaami
Hi there, I found your blog through a random search….Nice blog. Following you and will be happy if you follow me back as well.
Raksha
Thanks everyone for the nice comments
Makathi Shenoy
❤️❤️
Raksha Kamat
Thanks
Chetann
Nice