Prawn and Mango Curry with Coconut Milk

Prawn and mango curry in an Indian-influenced coconut milk sauce loaded with chilli heat and subtle anise flavours from ajwain and fennel.

It’s quick and easy to cook too and it will go from your fridge to your table in under 30 minutes, even if your prawns are frozen!

Indian Mango & Shrimp Curry

Prawns sit at the heart of so many of my quick recipes because they are so convenient. You can get them out of the freezer, defrost them in 5-10 minutes and still get dinner on the table in 20-30 minutes.

Here they star in a sweet and sour prawn and mango curry that rocks plenty of Indian influences.

This recipe joins a couple of other Indian prawn curries, I have a quick Indian prawn curry, king prawn balti and a wonderful king prawn bhuna.

The mango and king prawns offer plenty of sweetness in this recipe and that is balanced with sourness from both lime and amchur. A wonderfully sour spice that is made from raw unripe mango.

A spice that adds a sour element to many of my curries, including my glorious beef vindaloo and my personal favourite chicken pathia.

I add a little bit of anise flavour in the shape of some toasted fennel and ajwain seeds.

Coconut milk provides the base for the wonderful sauce, which is given a healthy dose of chilli.

If fishy curries are your thing check out my Keralan fish curry, Goan mackerel curry and my monkfish curry recipes!

Frequently Asked Questions

What size prawns should I use?

You want large prawns for this recipe. I use size 16-20 in the photos on this page, but I have used size 8-12 in the video below the recipe.

I have provided timings for both sizes in the recipe.

Are frozen prawns ok?

Absolutely, I never use anything else! However, you should defrost them before cooking them or they will add too much water into the final curry.

The best way to defrost them is to run them under cold water for 5-10 minutes.

Are pre-blanched prawns ok?

Yes, but with the caveat that all you need to do is heat them up. If you attempt to cook them they will be like rubber bullets!

Can I use low-fat coconut milk?

You can, although I would not advise doing so the reduced fat content fundamentally changes the mouthfeel of the dish and not in a good way.

Serving Suggestions

Rice is an ever-popular staple to serve with curry and for me, plain boiled or steamed rice is the perfect side dish for this quick and easy shrimp and mango curry.

However, there are many other options out there, pilau rice is the obvious choice but we can go beyond rice.

I’m British which means potatoes as a side for everything and these turmeric and lemon roasted potatoes would be great with this shrimp curry.

Sticking with the potato vibe you could go with my roasted Bombay potatoes or aloo methi too! Both would be a great side for this delicious recipe.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/Stovetop.
• 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
• Colander if you need to defrost the prawns.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• Kitchen knife and paring knife.
• Chopping board.
• Grater.
• A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.

Prawn and Mango Curry Step-by-Step Photos

1. Dice the mango and squeeze over half the lime stir to coat.
   
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat, once hot add the fennel and ajwain seeds and toast until fragrant.
   
3. Tip the seeds into a pestle and mortar and crush them.
   
4. Return the frying pan to high heat, add the oil once hot add the garlic, ginger and slit chillies and cook for 60 seconds.
   
5. Now add the crushed seeds, chilli powder, turmeric, amchoor and asafoetida, and cook stirring continually for 30 seconds.
   
6. Add the coconut milk and salt and cook for 2 minutes allowing the spices to cook into the sauce.
   
7. Add the prawns and the mango and cook for 5-6 minutes stirring occasionally. Once the prawns are cooked through serve with chopped coriander and a lime wedge.