Prawn pickle is a flavoured and spicy Indian dish that does justice to the freshness of prawns with attractive, aromatic spices, making it ideal for complementing rice or parathas. This tasty pickle will easily be the favourite of any seafood lover who would love to enjoy an intense flavour in every bite. A prawn pickle recipe isn't very complicated, but the tricky point lies in balancing the ingredients to achieve that taste where both prawns and pickling spices melt out to give that rich, tangy flavour. To prepare prawn pickles, fresh prawns are first cleaned and marinated in turmeric and salt then saut ed to perfection in oil till lightly golden. The second step includes preparing a spiced masala base. They usually have mustard seeds, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, and a mix of various Indian spices like red chilli powder, cumin, and coriander powder. A bit of sourness is added through tamarind or vinegar. The masala mix is mixed with cooked prawns and a spice blend. Then it is cooled before being packed into airtight containers. This brings out a delicious pickle of prawns, which tastes even better with time because of the strong flavour of spices absorbed by the prawns. This is such a fantastic condiment that one can store it for weeks and enjoy its rich and bold taste of spiced prawns when one wishes.

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 3-4 tsp vinegar
• 15 dry red chilli
• 3 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2-3 green chilies
• 10-15 curry leaves
• 8-10 garlic
• 1 inch ginger
• 1/2 tsp hing
• 3 tbsp sesame oil

• To prepare this mouthwatering prawn pickle, you will need 450 to 500 gms of small cleaned prawns.
• Freshness is required for this recipe to have the best taste.
• Make sure you clean and devein them well.
• Let's begin with the marination of prawns.
• Take the bowl to add the prawns along with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder and two teaspoons of salt.
• The turmeric will give a slight colour and also add to the taste of the prawns.
• Let this mixture rest for about 15-20 minutes so the spices can penetrate the prawns.
• Meanwhile, prepare a salt and vinegar solution. Boil 2 cups of water, add 3-4 teaspoons of vinegar, and then add 2-3 teaspoons of salt.
• This would further soften the prawns and give them a tangy feel while eating. Meanwhile, prepare the pickle masala while the prawns are marinating in the mixture.
• Take 15 long dry red chillies, preferably Byadge or Kashmiri. De-seed these to regulate the spice level but keep the colour bright red.
• Dry roast 3 Tsp of mustard seeds and 2 Tsp cumin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat till fragrant.
• Let it cool and mix with the de-seeded red chillies and 1/2 Tsp of turmeric powder and grind to a coarse powder in a blender.
• This masala will be the spice heart of your prawn pickle, which has both heat and flavour. Once you have prepared all your ingredients, it is now time to cook the prawns.
• You can heat 2 tablespoons of mustard oil or gingelly in a heavy-bottomed pan, which is also sesame oil.
• The oil should be heated until it gets to the smoking point to remove all raw taste.
• Add marinated prawns to the pan and stir-fry till cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the prawns from the pan and keep aside.
• For tempering, add 2-3 pieces of cut green chillies, 10-15 curry leaves, and 8-10 cloves of garlic. It produces sizzling sounds of tempering, like music to one's ears and very inviting aromas.
• Then you add 1 inch of ginger, all chopped into smaller pieces, and as much as half a teaspoon of asafoetida, which you call hing.
• The ingredients are distinct in their flavour and fragrance. Let it cook for a few minutes until the garlic turns golden brown.
• Now, add the tempering to these cooked prawns and sprinkle the prepared pickle masala over them.
• Mix everything well so that the prawns are coated well with the spices.
• To give it a little extra flavour depth, even 2-3 tablespoons of gingelly sesame oil can be drizzled into it.
• Not only do the oil components enhance the richness of the pickle, but they also add a wonderful nutty flavour.
• Let this prawn pickle cool once mixed.
• Store it in a sterilised jar and let it develop some deeper flavours over a few days.
• The recipe of prawn pickle is that you can have it almost however you want to, whether with steamed rice and flatbreads or as some zesty accompaniment to favourite dishes.
• This homemade prawn pickle makes the mouth water by its look and by taking a little bit of the Indian shore directly to your table in the best form of home-cooked goodness. It gave a burst of flavour to each meal!