Prawn and pumpkin coconut milk curry (Konju Pulungari)

This is a Kerala dish called Konju Pulungari. "Konju" means prawns and "pulungari" is a curry with coconut milk and something sour, either vinegar or tamarind. Pumpkin is a festival vegetable in South India. This dish is originally made without spinach. But we tried making it with spinach and it complimented the smoothness of the coconut milk and sweetness of the pumpkin very well. Very very satisfying and it takes so little time and effort to make it. Serve it over a bowl of steamy basmati rice. If you cannot get curry leaves, just skip them. Yet again, this is great comfort food!

You will need: 500 gr prawns, cleaned 150 gr pumpkin [red, if you're in India], cut into medium size cubes a handful of spinach, coarsely chopped 400 ml coconut milk 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 2.5 cm ginger, peeled and sliced 2 green chilies, halved lenghtwise (remove seeds for a milder version) 10 curry leaves (optional) 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds 1 tsp of cumin seeds 1 tsp of vinegar 200 ml of water salt to taste oil for frying 1. Heat some oil in a pot and first fry the mustard and cumin seeds until the mustard seeds start popping. 2. Next, add the curry leaves, ginger, chilies and onion and fry on a medium flame until the onion softens and becomes translucent (don't let it brown, reduce the flame if needed). 2. Add turmeric powder, salt to taste and pumpkin cubes, mix it well and fry for another couple of minutes. 3. Pour coconut milk and water, bring it to a boil and cook until the pumpkin softens. Stir occasionally. 4. Finally, add the prawns and spinach, mix it and cook for up to 5 minutes or until the prawns are cooked. Add one teaspoon of vinegar and mix it well, taste for salt. Serve it over rice or with white bread.

Enjoy!