Fried Prawns (Taleli Kelmi)
Succulent prawns are marinated in a vibrant, aromatic green masala paste made from fresh coriander, garlic, and cumin, then slow-cooked in ghee until tender. This traditional Parsi dish, known as Taleli Kelmi, uses a classic technique of braising seafood in its own juices with rich spices to create a flavorful, semi-dry curry. The slow cooking process allows the spices to meld perfectly with the sweetness of the prawns, resulting in a rich and satisfying dish best enjoyed with hot rotis or steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Large prawns (Originally '1 kudi' (a measure/basket). Estimated as approx 1 lb or 500g.)
- 1/2 cup Ghee (Originally '1.5 pasher'. Adjusted for modern cooking; original amount was very generous.)
- 1 small Onion (Originally '5 tolas' (approx 58g).)
- 2 whole Green chilies (Originally '1 tola' (approx 11g).)
- 1 inch piece Ginger (Originally '1/2 tola' (approx 6g).)
- 15 cloves Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Heaped teaspoon.)
- 20 whole Black peppercorns
- 2 cups Fresh coriander (cilantro) (Originally '4 bunches' (historical bunches were likely smaller). Use leaves and tender stems.)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (Plus more for cleaning.)
- 2 tablespoons Rice flour (For cleaning the prawns.)
- 1 tablespoon Tamarind pulp (Optional, for sour variation. Originally '2 tolas tamarind'.)
- 5 teaspoons Vinegar (Optional, for soaking tamarind.)
Instructions
- 1Clean the prawns thoroughly. Remove the black vein (intestine) from the back. Apply a generous amount of salt and let them sit for 15 minutes. Afterward, rub them with rice flour and wash thoroughly with water to clean.
- 2Wash the coriander leaves (including tender stems) and green chilies. Peel and wash the ginger, garlic, and onion. Combine these ingredients with the cumin seeds, black peppercorns, and 1 heaped teaspoon of salt. Grind everything into a fine paste.
- 3Coat the cleaned prawns thoroughly with the prepared green masala paste. Let them marinate for 15 minutes.
- 4Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or skillet (originally a tinned copper vessel). Add the marinated prawns along with all the masala. Cover the pan and cook on low heat (slow fire). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 5Continue cooking until the prawns are tender and the ghee separates from the masala and rises to the top. If the prawns are tough, you may place water on the lid (dum style) to create steam, but avoid adding water directly into the pan unless absolutely necessary. Once the ghee separates, remove from heat. (Optional: For a sour version, soak tamarind in vinegar for 45 minutes, extract the pulp, and add it to the prawns near the end of cooking).