Dish of the day
John Woodward’s
Goan Lobster/Prawn Curry
Fish
■ One lobster per person or 500g tiger prawns
goan spice mix (makes about 10 portions depending on how hot you like it)
■ 1 tbsp cumin seeds
■ 2 tbsp coriander seeds
■ 2 tbsp black peppercorns
■ 1 tbsp cloves
■ 1 tbsp tumeric
■ 200g red chillies deseeded and roughly-chopped
■ 1 tbsp salt
■ 1 bulb garlic peeled and roughly-chopped
■ 2 tbsp light muscovado sugar
■ 1 tbsp tamarind paste
■ 100g root ginger peeled and roughly-chopped
■ 100ml red wine vinegar
Method
• Cook the lobster in a court bouillon (a flavoured veg stock). Bring the stock to the boil and leave the lobster in it for six to seven minutes for a 500g lobster. Then place the lobster into iced water to stop the lobster from overcooking. When cold, remove the lobster meat from the shell.
• If you are using tiger prawns, buy good quality Madagascan prawns from the fish counter (about 500g for two people). Remove the heads, and peel away the shell from the tail. Using a small knife, split the prawns halfway down their backs, so you can remove the waste tube inside. Give them a quick rinse and keep to the side for when they’re needed.
• To make the spice mix, grind all the dry spices to powder. Transfer to the blender and blitz with the rest of the ingredients to form a paste. At this point, you can refrigerate the rest of the paste and it should keep for a month.
• Add a touch of oil to a pan and add the spice mix (one tbsp to taste per person). If you like it hotter, just add more paste.
• Now add the raw, peeled tiger prawns if you’re using them, stirring in the paste so they’re coated in the spices.
• Add some coconut milk to just cover the prawns and simmer for approximately four to five minutes until they’re cooked.
• If you are using lobster, like we do in Strip Bar & Steak, just warm the cooked lobster meat through in the pan with the spice paste.
• Finish with a touch of double cream and garnish with some toasted desiccated coconut, toasted black poppy seeds, and also a few sprigs of coriander leaves.
• Serve with some lime wedges and fragrant basmati rice.