Chaaza - Burmese Curry with Parwns

• servings: Serves: 4
• total time: 38 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup (200g) dried chickpeas

1 lemongrass stems, white part only, chopped

3cm piece ginger, peeled, chopped

8 cloves garlic, chopped

6 shallots, peeled, thinly sliced

2½ tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp sweet paprika

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

Black pepper

2 tsp shrimp paste in oil

2 tbsp fish sauce

400ml coconut milk

500g raw peeled prawns

250g Vermicelli noodles

1 lime, cut into wedges

Coriander leaves and pickled mustard greens, to serve

Directions

Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced (356°F).

Place chickpeas on an oven tray and roast for 20-25 minutes, until dark and well toasted.

Set aside to cool briefly, then process to a powder in a food processor.

Sieve powder through a fine sieve and measure out ½ cup (75g).

Pound lemongrass stems in a mortar and pestle.

Add ginger and garlic, continue to pound.

Add 4 of the shallots and pound until mixture becomes a coarse paste.

Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over high heat.

Add turmeric, fry for 30 seconds.

Add paste, season with salt and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until aromatic.

Stir in remaining spices, pepper and shrimp paste, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add fish sauce and continue to cook until the mixture “cracks.”

Stir in the coconut milk and 2 cups (500ml) water. Bring to a simmer.

Simmer for 5–10 minutes, allowing the flavours to develop.

Mix the ½ cup chickpea flour with ⅔ cup (160ml) water in a small bowl to make a slurry.

Add into curry and stir until well incorporated.

Simmer until starting to thicken.

Add the prawns and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until they are just cooked through.

Soak noodles in boiling water for 2 minutes, until soft.

Drain and divide between serving bowls.

Ladle over the curry, and garnish with thinly sliced shallots, lime wedges, mustard greens and coriander.