Coconut Prawn Malai Curry

To create a fragrant homemade spice blend, combine cardamom seeds, 3 whole cloves, and 3 cinnamon sticks in a coffee grinder. Grind the mixture into an extremely fine powder, setting it aside for later use.

Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 4 whole cloves, 4 cardamom pods, and 2 sticks of cinnamon to the pan. Cook for a short time, being cautious as cloves may suddenly pop out of the pan. Stir in finely chopped onion and decrease the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking and stirring until the liquid has evaporated, leaving the onion without its raw smell, approximately 5 minutes. Add ginger paste and garlic paste to the mixture and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in turmeric powder and cayenne pepper. Add chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook until they are tender, around 5 minutes. Pour in water, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Pour coconut milk into the pan and stir well. When the mixture is almost boiling, add prawns to the dish. Sprinkle a generous amount of the freshly ground garam masala powder over the prawns, reserving just a pinch to use as a garnish. Gently stir to combine. Do not cover the pan at this stage, as coconut milk may curdle.

As soon as the prawns turn pink and are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes, add ghee. Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle the reserved garam masala over the dish and serve.