Goan Prawn Curry with Coconut is a spicy, sour curry that comes from Goa and is also called Ambot Tik. Just serve this with steamed rice and you have a truly satisfying meal!
This is exactly what a satisfying meal starts with – some Goan prawn curry made with coconut which is going to comfort you and make you feel like you are home and warm and safe.
I’ve already told you how much I love all things coastal and this started with meeting my Mangalorean husband whose family makes the most delicious food. I’ll invite you guys over someday!
Watch how to make Goan Prawn Curry Video
So when I got this recipe from a Goan friend who got it from her grandmother, I was jumping guys! I knew I had to share and make sure you guys try it too. It’s what I make when Bangalore becomes chilly enough to wear a hoodie and you need a bowl of fiery hot curry and some netflix while you snuggle inside a blanket. Because at that point you absolutely need all those things and nothing else will do. And winter is close, remember? Sorry (not sorry) I couldn’t resist throwing in a GoT reference. Are you guys watching the show? Just waiting for Sunday to come every week is pure torture!
Let’s not go down the GoT spiral, though you and me have to have a chat about it one of these days. Now this Goan Prawn Curry is pretty authentic, but I have to tell you that like everything in India, every home has their own way of making things, so I’m sure if you are Goan, your grandma must have her own ways. I really love this version because it tasted like the curry I’ve always had in Goa, sitting by the beach with a beer in hand.
And you’ll be surprised at how simple it is. You just need a few whole spices because like in Mangalore, a Goan Curry or Ambot Tik also starts with whole spices that are freshly ground and then cooked with.
I’ve been using ITC Masterchef’s frozen Prawns everytime I cook with them these days, because I love the fact that I can rely on the quality and don’t have to worry about where they come from or how fresh they are. They are freshly frozen within 15 hours of harvesting, with temperature controls and quality checks throughout the chain to make sure each prawn is fresh, soft and juicy.
We’ve discussed the advantages of using frozen prawns vs. fresh prawns before, and I also have a really handy guide about the safest ways to defrost prawns.
Since prawns defrost pretty quickly (about 15-20 minutes), you can get everything else ready – grind the masala, cook the onion, tomato mixture etc. while the prawns defrost so that you have this prawn curry on the table in about 40 minutes!
While you can use any size of prawns with this recipe, we used deveined and cleaned Jumbo Prawns or Shrimp because we love digging into them. But you can easily use small or medium sized prawns, but I would recommend doubling the quantity for this recipe. You want to make sure that you get a piece of prawn in every bite of this Goan Prawn Curry!
Thank to our friends at ITC Master Chef for sponsoring this post, and making sure we always eat prawns that are super safe.
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Goan Prawn Curry with Coconut (Ambot Tik)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 people 1x
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Goan, Indian
Description
Goan Prawn Curry with Coconut is a spicy, sour curry that comes from Goa and is also called Ambot Tik. Just serve this with steamed rice and you have a truly satisfying meal!
Ingredients
For the Prawns
- 20 Jumbo Prawns or Shrimp, cleaned and deveined
- Enough water to soak the prawns completely
For the ground Masala
- 8–10 dried Kashmiri Red Chillies
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole Peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon whole Coriander Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 small knob of Tamarind (1 teaspoon Tamarind Paste)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 cup grated Coconut
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
For the Curry
- 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
- 1 tablespoon finely minced Ginger
- 1/2 cup finely chopped Onions
- 1/2 cup finely chopped Tomatoes
- Salt to taste
- 8–10 Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Start by defrosting prawns. Transfer prawns to a bowl and add enough cold water to soak them properly for 15 minutes. Before using, wash the prawns once or twice in running water and add them to the curry.
- Grind all the ingredients mentioned under ground masala to a smooth paste and set aside.
- In a pan, heat coconut oil and add ginger and onions. Saute the onions till they are a light golden brown and add tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes for 5-7 minutes till they break down easily with the back of a spoon.
- Add the ground masala and salt to the pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame and simmer the masala for 10-15 minutes till the colour deepens slightly. Add the defrosted (drain the water) prawns to the gravy and cook them for 7-8 minutes. Sprinkle curry leaves on top, mix well and switch off the flame. Let the curry rest for 5 minutes before serving with steamed rice.
Just so tasty, authentic and easy to make.will be making again and again.
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Thank YOU!
So
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Fabulous!!! Just made it, one of the best dishes ever!
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So glad you liked it!
Just too tasty…I added a bit of vinegar too!
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Perfect! Thank you – so glad you liked it!
I tried this today when I was searching for different prawn curry recipes ! Simply yum ! We polished off the entire thing in one sitting. It’s super simple and easy to make ! This recipe is for keepers 🙂
So glad you liked it Anupama!
Are we suppose to grind coconut milk along with masala or pour later?
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Yes you grind the coconut milk along with the masala. I hope you try this Varsha!
I ve always tried ma mom s n granny s recipies wen it comes to sea foods , but last week i gave dis recipie a try.. It was freakingly osmmmmm… Loved it…
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Thanks so much Hana! Really glad you liked it!
A winner in our house! I’ve kept some of the paste frozen for a quick meal.
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Sooo happy to hear that!
When do you add the grated coconut and coconut milk? Thanks
Hey Marina, you use them in step #2 to make the paste
Absolutely delicious – I have cooked it both with prawns and with kingfish (I am sure you could use any sort of firm white fish, or salmon). I think it’s the sourness of the tamarind that really lifts it.
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Thanks! Glad you liked it
This is the most tasty Ambit tik I have made. Thankyou for sharing.🙏🏿🥰
I tried this recipe and it was amazing… thank u… I have saved this for future… One of my fav now…
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Thanks Neelima. So glad you liked it!
This curry is not called ambotik. Ambotik has no coconut not coconut milk in it. It’s a different curry altogether. This is called curry or coconut curry in Goa.
I bought a bag of frozen prawns that stew already cooked. Can I use those instead of raw frozen prawns without compromising taste and texture of recipe?
Hey Sadaf, if the prawns are already cooked, please thaw them and add them to the curry right in the end and simmer for only a minute or two or they will overcook.
Delicious. I didn’t bother with making a separate paste – just ground the spices and grated the garlic and ginger and sauteed everything together. I added a little sugar to balance the acidity and some corgette because vegetables. For sure will make this again. Thanks!
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Sounds fantastic! So glad you liked it Joel
What can you use as a substitute for the Kashmiri chillies?
Thanks
Its a key ingredient Zynab and doesn’t really have a substitute
Hey,
I could not find any Kashmiri chillies and I was wondering what do you recommend instead?
Thanks
I made the paste and froze it in the deep freezer. I’ve used it with Aloo, Chicken and Prawns as well! The taste of coconut milk changes the curry completely! I added Kokum in place of tamarind.
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Wow!! Thats so creative. Thanks for sharing this with us Deva.
Excited about trying this recipe tonight. I’m wondering if I double the recipe, should I also double the chilis?
Hey Carolyn, it really depends on how hot you like your food. Doubling it will work, or you could just use 1.5 times the chillies.
Hi, this looks so good. Please try my version of goan prawn curry as well that is a staple at home.
I cooked this and I want to tell you, it was super duper delicious.
I never liked prawns before. no one could do justice to the recepie .
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Yaaaay so happy you loved it Isha!
Made this on a winter’s night in France and it just hit the spot. Love the beautiful flavours. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing
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Ooooh this seriously warms you up. Glad you loved it Melissa
This is such delicious meal! Extremely straight-forward and easy recipe. Thank you!
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Thanks Rhiannon!
Excellent recipe, I reduced a little spice though so that my kids could eat. Came out very well. Where did you buy the iron kadai?
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Thanks Vanita. I bought the kadhai from a local store
Have tried this recipe out and it turned out amazing!
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Thanks Donella!
I’ve been making Goan prawn curry since I came to Goa 18 years ago; following a recipe given to me by the Head Chef of a 5 star hotel here. I’ve always had positive feedback but fancied a change and came across your recipe. My teenage son polished off two helpings and said it was my best ever! He said he could taste the ‘love’. :D. He also said it was better than his Goan grandmother’s ….. (ssshhhhh…). I’m trying it out at my potluck Book Club tonight so let’s see what true Goans think……. 😉
PS. I’ve never had curry leaves on any Goan prawn curries I’ve had here so was a little too scared to add them. It tasted good enough without but I’m intrigued. Maybe next time. Thanks for sharing the recipe x
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OMG! That’s a huge compliment. So glad you guys liked my version Karen!
Hey Richa,
I have always been sceptical about cooking fish/prawn, as I either tend to overcook or undercook them.
And my husband and me absolutely love seafood, hence we always end up either ordering it or having it at a restaurant.
I read your recipe last night and I couldn’t resist trying it out today for dinner. I followed your recipe to the T and what an amazing outcome – perfect tang, spice and authentic Goan flavour, not to mention the prawns were cooked perfectly (your cooking timings mentioned in the recipe were so helpful).
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Wohoooo! I’m glad this worked out perfectly for you, and I hope you’ll cook seafood at home more often
I made this for my wife a couple of months ago, and I am making it again today. Absolutely superb, can’t recommend it highly enough. Thanks
Thanks Angus! So glad you and your wife liked it. Its a regional prawn curry and I’m so happy to share these flavours with you!
Added some extra chilli, mustard seeds, and fresh coriander to serve. Absolutely delicious, from a family of curry lovers!
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We are curry lovers here too! So glad you liked it Kylie
Hello thank you for this lovely recipe I am interested in making however what can I substitute grated coconut for as I won’t be able to get fresh grated coconut will desiccated coconut work well too, or store bought grated coconut?
Also will frozen grated coconut change the taste?
Hey Sarah, dessicated coconut is usually dried coconut and I won’t recommend it. But store grated coconut which has been frozen fresh works perfectly. I hope you try this recipe!
Hi there,
Thanks for the recipe, but it was a complete disaster.
We were left we a paste, no gravy anywhere in sight.
What comes out of your blender is nowhere near what we got. Different colour, and zero fluid.
We followed your recipe precisely.
But are confused as to where he fluid for the gravy comes from?
Hey Luke, the liquid comes from the coconut milk. Also, as the prawns cook they leave out a little liquid too. This is not a super thin gravy overall. But if yours was too thick for your liking, you can always add a splash of water to thin it out. Also, the colour could be different because of the chillies you are using. Were you able to get your hands on Kashmiri chillies? They basically have mostly colour and very little heat.
Hi Richa,
I tried this recipe when I invited my friends over for lunch. It was a hit and also such a delicate balance of flavours. Keeper recipe.
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Thanks for your feedback Kashmira! So glad you liked it
You have no idea how many recipes I’ve tried to replicate the prawn curry I tried at Ritz hotel, Goa. I can’t thank you enough Richa. This one almost replicates it. Thank you so much !
Wow, thats a huge compliement. Thanks Sangitha!
Absolutely amazing. This certainly woke up our tired western palates. Thanks ever so much for the recipe. One minor addition, I used a teaspoon of Thai fish sauce as a substitute for salt, worked a treat. Cheers.
Thanks Angus! This Goan Prawn Curry is one of our favourites too
This recipe was excellent!
Many thanks for the explicit explanation of the recipe!
Thanks Neena! So glad you liked it!
This is superb and I tried it..it is a super hit with my kids and friends.
Thanks for simplifying cooking for an averager like me😁
Thank you! So glad you liked it!
Hey Richa, I tried this recipe last night for supper, everyone loved it. It was however, it little too hot for us. Next time I am going to use about half the chillies, just because we are not used to really spicy food any more. Five stars for your recipe and five stars for the easy to follow instructions!
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Hey Omar! Thanks for your feedback. I hope you’ll be able to adjust the chillies to your taste the next time. The Goan Prawn Curry is usually pretty spicy. I think it has something to do with the weather. The chillies help cool people down in the heat of the summer.
Hi, i tried it today ….. Its so yummy n tasty….. Thanks for the recipe…..
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Thank you so much Aparna!
Hi Richa, the recipe sounds amazing and I’m already drooling. Tell me something, can I increase the quantity of coconut milk instead of using grated coconut? If yes, then how much extra coconut milk would I need?
Hey Gunmeher, you could do that but the flavours will be slightly different. The grated coconut adds a fresh, nutty flavour. If you only want to use coconut milk, increase it by half a cup.
Cooked this last night and served on gnocchi (a bit different but it worked really well as the delicious sauce coated and clung to the gnocchi).
Love your blog, stunning photos and will be trying more recipes.
AB
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Thanks Andrew. This goan prawn curry is one of our favourites too!
Hey Richa!
We tried this recipe couple of days back and we all loved it!
Thank you so much for letting me know!
Fabulous as easy as it is. Thank you for the recipe. You are such a help and you make it all easy for me :-).
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Thanks Maria 🙂
Hi Richa, I tried this recipe and must say my husband and I absolutely loved it even though our dish looked less like yours.Was wondering would this recipe work even for chicken?
So glad you liked it Purbasha! It should work with chicken, but you’ll have to cook it for longer because chicken takes longer than prawns to cook.
Hey Richa! Looks yumm!!!
Can i use kashmiri red chilli powder in place of whole red chillies? If yes how much can i add 😕
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I’ve never tried it with kashmiri red chili powder, but should work. Start with a tablespoon and then add more if you like. It should be a spicy paste.
I am sure it must be absolutely delicious. Will be trying it soon. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
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Thanks!
Hey!
I tried your recipe a couple of days back. It came out amazinnggg!! This was the first time me and my husband cooked prawns at our place, and we fed them to our parents and siblings too who loved it as well!
I love the Goan food flavour and am really happy to come across your blog. Plus I never thought I could make prawns myself and that the dish would be ready so quickly! The only change in my recipe was that I used IFB prawns instead of ITC. Thanks for this amazing recipe which am going to try again very soon!
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Yay! So happy you and your family liked this curry. Prawns are seriously one of the easiest things to make and we make them regularly at home
Hey Richa,
Is this Indian or Asian recipe?
Anyway, looks delicious and yummy. As a Prawn lover, I’ll surely try this recipe soon. 🙂
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Thanks! This is a coastal Indian recipe, which comes from Goa (a fun town on the western coast). I hope you like it!