This is the best tandoori prawns recipe for your dinner party! The magic marinade adds a burst of flavor and these cook in minutes. They're spicy, smoky, juicy and all things good, so get ready to fight over the last piece!
Guys, these prawns! I can't seem to get enough of them. They are the best damn tandoori prawns I've ever had. Spicy, smoky, crunchy outside, juicy inside and that masala has enough pizzazz to make you fight over the last piece.
Plus I never thought tandoori masala would be so easy to make. I didn't attempt this with chicken, because it takes longer to cook and we just don't have that kind of patience most days. We seem to be doing a thousand and sixty one things at once these days and are always trying to cook something easy. These prawns. 10 minutes to marinade and less than 10 to cook. Because prawns = quick cooking.
BTW I'm sure you remember my sister Pragya from here and here. Happy News - she's got a fantastic job as an architect focusing on sustainable buildings in Dubai. Fancy isn't it? Sad News - She's moving to Dubai of course. Happy News - I get all the clothes that she doesn't want to take with her so Hello new Wardrobe! Very Sad News - We won't be able to make last minute plans to meet each other anymore or spend the entire night cracking up at stupid jokes only the two of us can understand.
Little sisters are the people you've bullied all your growing-up years, and then wham! One day they suddenly become the best friend you can't live without. I can't imagine her not being in the same country. But cleartrip tells me that flying back and forth won't require me to sell all those clothes she's giving me, so I guess we'll be okay. In fact I'm going to meet her this weekend and I CANNOT wait. Honestly, it's tough and I hate it. But I know it's good for her. Not that it makes it any easier. I want to stomp my feet and behave like a bad child. But being the older sister comes with pretending that everything's okay. And now I'm crying.
Tell me I'm not the only one. Do you feel the same way about your younger siblings? Let me know in the comment section below.
More North Indian Appetisers:
The Best Tandoori Prawns
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- ¼ cup Hung Curd
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger Garlic Paste heaping
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder heaping
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 Lemon Juice of
- Salt to taste
For the Prawns
- 12 Prawns deveined and cleaned (I used Medium sized)
- 2 tablespoons Butter Melted
- 1 Mango ripe ,peeled and chopped for the Mango Chutney
- 1 Lemon Juice of
- A pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons Coriander chopped
- ½ teaspoon Chili Flakes optional
- Chat Masala and chopped Coriander for Garnish
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients listed under marinade to a bowl, and combine.
- Add prawns to the marinade and set aside. I recommend marinating these for at least half an hour and up to two hours for better flavor.
- In the meanwhile, to make the mango chutney, blend mangoes, lemon juice and salt in a blender till pureed. Add the chopped coriander and pulse for 5 seconds till you see bright green specks. Sprinkle with chili flakes if using.
- Oven Method
- Once the prawns have finished marinating, pre-heat oven to 220 degree celcius.
- Skewer the prawns using the equipment provided with your oven, brush them with melted butter and grill for 10-12 minutes. Brush once more at 5 minutes and then right before serving.
- Stovetop Method
- Alternatively, if you don't have an oven, heat a grill pan on the stove. Add some butter to the pan.
- Once hot, arrange prawns on the pan so that they don't overlap and sear on high heat for a minute on either side.
- After one minute, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 more minutes. Prawns cook pretty quickly so be careful about the cooking time. Brush once more with butter right before serving.
- To Serve
- Sprinkle with chat masala and chopped coriander and serve with the mango chutney.
Notes
- The cooking time may change by a minute or two depending on the size of prawns.
- If you don't have a grill pan for the stove top method, use a regular pan but there won't be any grill marks.
- Tandoori Chicken or Prawns are usually red in color due to added food coloring. None of that stuff has been used in this recipe.
Nandhini says
Loved ur write up on ur younger sis, she s lucky❤️ I’m also the younger sibling who moved abroad some years ago and can totally relate ur feelings to my sister!
Btw, ur prawns tandoor s amazing too😋
Richa says
Thank you Nandhini, I miss her so very much!
harry says
I don't feel the same as you with my younger brother. We don't have a bond bec he lived in boarding school. Thanks for sharing a wonderful tandoori prawn recipe!
Richa says
Glad you liked it Harry, and I guess all sibling relations are different
Deepika Mathur says
Hey sounds super simple!
Few questions: for hung curd can we use Greek Yogurt? Also what if we use regular tandoori masala? 🙂
Richa says
Sure greek yogurt works! And yes, you can swap out the spices for tandoori masala.
rana says
Hi Guys.. Superb Blog..
Mobasir Hassan says
I am really fond of these yummy prawns. Always order when we visit a restaurant. It would better if you write few line about how to cook it using an Ovalclay Tandoor?
Aradhay Saha says
nice yammmm
Vandana says
Goood
Richa Gupta says
Hahaha thanks Laura. That mango chutney is absolutely divine and we end up licking the bowl clean 🙂
Laura @MotherWouldKnow says
What incredible prawns. I'd love to make a whole mess of these for dinner and eat them all by myself. OK, maybe I'd share a few, but not many. I make mango chutney, but my recipe is so much more complicated than yours. Must try this one for weeknights - and if it's as good, I'll eagerly switch 🙂
Richa Gupta says
It is. I'm so going to miss her!
aditigoyal says
Awwwww! This is one is for Pragya more than for the recipe.