Recipe of the week: prawn, spring onion and curry leaf pancakes
These prawn pancakes are an unusual marriage of Korean and Indian traditions

There is something special about a prawn pancake – and this one is an unusual marriage of Korean and Indian traditions, says Sabrina Gidda. I like to eat mine drizzled with some crispy garlic oil.
Ingredients: serves two
- 50g gram flour, sifted
- 4 tbsp water
- 2 free-range eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 2 green chillies, finely sliced
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 10 fresh curry leaves, finely shredded
- 1 bunch of spring onions, trimmed
- 500g peeled raw prawns (or shrimp)
- small handful of chopped coriander
- vegetable oil, for frying
Method
- In a bowl, mix together the flour, water and eggs until smooth. Add the salt, ginger paste, chillies, spices and curry leaves.
- Cut each spring onion into thirds, retaining the green tops, then in half lengthways. Wash well and drain on paper towels.
- Split the prawns lengthways as if you were butterflying them, but cut them into two.
- Add the spring onions, prawns and coriander to the batter and mix well.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add a couple of large spoonfuls of the batter, tilting the pan to form a pancake. Turn after a minute or two and cook the other side for a further couple of minutes. Repeat until all the batter is used, oiling the pan each time.
- Remove from the heat and eat with chutneys, achari mayo or crispy garlic chilli oil.
Taken from Modern South Asian Kitchen by Sabrina Gidda, published by Quadrille at £27. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £21.99, visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.
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