I’ve never ordered a madras or cooked one. I’ll be honest, I have always been put off with the 🌶 symbols on menus. I’ve always had the opinion of ‘flavour over heat’. After cooking this dish my opinion hasn’t changed. For me, this was far too hot. I’ll admit the flavours were there but the dish just punched you in the mouth!!!

Ingredients- 3 tbsp of rapeseed oil, 3 dried chillies, 4 cardamom pods slightly bruised, 3 tbsp of garlic and ginger paste, 2 green chillies finely diced, 1/2 of tomato purée mixed with water, 2 tbsp of cumin powder, 1 tsp of ground coriander, 1/4 tsp of ground turmeric, 1 tbsp of chilli powder, 2 tbsp of homemade curry powder mix, 2 cups of premade base sauce, 1-2 tbsp of mango chutney, juice of 1 lime, salt and finish with a touch of garam masala and a handful of chopped coriander.

Method – heat the oil, when it’s hot add the dried chillies & cardamom pods allowing them to sizzle for 20 / 30 seconds.

Then add garlic and ginger paste along with the diced chillies. Be warned…..as the paste hits the hot oil it will spit ( as I found out). Allow this again to fry for 20/30 seconds.

Stir in the tomato purée, ground cumin, ground coriander and turmeric, chilli powder followed by the mixed curry powder then mix well.

Add a cup of your pre-made base sauce then simmer for 2/4 minutes.

Add the rest of your base sauce. Bring back to a simmer then add your prawns. Once your prawns are cooked add the mango chutney, lime juice, season with salt and sprinkle with garam masala then garnish with coriander.

I then served mine with steamed rice and a shop bought naan ( haven’t got the time or can’t be arsed with trying to make them!!).

Thank you for reading my ramblings if you have ❤️.

Once again the recipe is credited to Dan Toombs . Great influence on my cooking.