Nellore-style Royyala Vepudu
Plump river prawns from the Nellore backwaters tossed in a fiery, dry masala with curry leaves and coconut slivers until deeply caramelised.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Equipment
- •Iron kadai
- •Wooden spatula
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 6 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 24 g
- calories
- 260 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mix cleaned prawns with turmeric, half the chilli powder, half the ginger-garlic paste, and salt. Leave for 15 minutes.
- 2
Heat sesame oil in an iron kadai (deep Indian pan). Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
- 3
Add curry leaves and sliced onion. Fry until the onion turns golden.
- 4
Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and slit green chillies. Cook until the raw smell goes away.
- 5
Add the marinated prawns to the pan. Spread them out in a single layer.
- 6
Leave the prawns undisturbed for 2 minutes to sear, then stir. Sprinkle over the remaining chilli powder.
- 7
Cook on medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stop when prawns curl tightly and liquid dries up.
- 8
Scatter in grated coconut. Stir well for 1 minute to coat everything with the dry masala (spice mix).
- 9
Turn off the heat. Squeeze over lemon juice and serve hot.
Chef's tips
Do not overcrowd the pan or the prawns will steam instead of frying dry; cook in two batches if needed. Fresh prawns need less resting time than frozen ones.
Ingredient substitutions
- sesame oil → groundnut oil
- fresh coconut → desiccated coconut, lightly toasted
Storage
Best eaten fresh; refrigerate leftovers for up to a day in an airtight container.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a pan over low flame with a few drops of oil; avoid microwaving as prawns turn rubbery.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding water, which turns the dry fry into a wet curry
- •Cooking the prawns for too long until they turn tough and rubbery
Serving suggestions
Cooked Nellore-style Royyala Vepudu?
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