Quick, simple, packed with flavour and surprisingly low in calories – this Easy Prawn Jalfrezi is a real dinner winner! Serve with a portion of plain cauliflower or basmati rice for an easy peasy midweek meal… or turn this into a weekend feast by adding naans, pilau rice and all your favourite chutneys and pickles… dress up or down, this deliciously easy prawn curry is the gastronomic equivalent of the little black dress!
Prawn curry in a hurry…
Fancy a curry… but short on time? This Easy Prawn Jalfrezi is the answer! It’s super simple to make and can be on your dinner plate in under 30 minutes.
All you need to do us fry up some onions, garlic and a few spices… then throw in some (bell) peppers and a tin of chopped tomatoes. Cook the sauce for 15 minutes until it’s nicely reduced, and that raw spice taste has disappeared… then throw in a big ol’ handful of raw prawns and cook until deliciously pink… and voilà: delicious prawn curry in a hurry!
Curry on a diet is totally possible!
Now, when you think of diet food, curry is not usually the first thing that comes to mind. But this curry is a dieter’s best friend… packed full of flavour and goodness, thanks to those onions, spices, tomatoes, peppers and prawns… and yet a portion comes in at just under 250 calories!
(Looking for more low-calorie dinners? Then check out my 20 Easy Dinners Under 400 Calories and 20 Easy Dinners Under 500 Calories.)
What to serve with prawn jalfrezi?
If you are aiming to keep the calories low, then serve this Easy Prawn Jalfrezi with a portion of plain cauliflower rice or pilau cauliflower rice.
Otherwise, this easy peasy prawn curry pairs beautifully with regular white basmati or pilau rice, naans and all your favourite chutneys and pickles.
What to drink with prawn jalfrezi?
Prawn curry goes brilliantly with aromatic white wines… like Gewürztraminer, Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc… especially if they are off-dry. When I ate the curry you see in the photos, I served it with a delicious off-dry Vouvray, from the Loire valley, and this pairing was an absolute triumph – one I’d definitely recommend!
If aromatic whites are not your thing, then there are plenty of other options… fruity rosés, sparkling wines and lager all go very well with Prawn Jalfrezi. I’d avoid red wine with this dish, though – it’s really not a great match!
Can you reheat prawn jalfrezi?
Yes, but be careful – only reheat if you used raw prawns. Make sure you get the prawn curry into the fridge as soon as it’s cooled down (and within 2 hours of cooking). It will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a saucepan with a splash of water until piping hot all the way through. Alternatively reheat in the microwave until piping hot all the way through.
Can you freeze prawn jalfrezi?
If you use raw prawns, then yes you can freeze prawn jalfrezi. Make sure you get the prawn curry into the freezer as soon as it’s cooled down (and within 2 hours of cooking). It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.
If you like this recipe…
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Easy Prawn Jalfrezi
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions sliced
- 3 garlic cloves grated or crushed
- 3 cm ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (or to taste, or use fresh chillies, if you prefer – see Note 1)
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds ground
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds ground
- 3 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons turmeric (optional)
- 500 g raw prawns (I use jumbo king prawns – see Note 2)
- 1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 green bell pepper cut into chunks
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped finely, plus extra for garnish
- Pilau rice, cauliflower rice, plain rice and / or naan breads to serve
- Pickles and/or chutneys to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Put the oil into a deep, wide saucepan or sauté pan. Add the onion and cook on a gentle heat, with the lid on, for about 3 minutes, until the onions are softened but not brown.
- Add the garlic, ginger, chilli, cumin, coriander, garam masala and turmeric. Stir well and cook for 2 more minutes with the lid off. Add a splash of water if it gets too dry.
- Next add the peppers, chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper.
- Bring the curry to the boil and then turn down the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes with the lid off, or until the sauce has reduced to your liking. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in the prawns and cook for a further 5 minutes or until completely pink and piping hot all the way through.
- Stir in the chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) and remove from the heat.
- Serve with plain basmati rice, pilau rice or cauliflower rice and/or naan breads. Garnish with more chopped coriander (cilantro).
Video
Notes
- I have only used one teaspoon of chilli flakes in my recipe – which results in a medium strength curry – as I like to make my food family friendly and this is about as hot as my kids can handle! However normally jalfrezi is a little hotter than this, so do put in more chilli if you like your jalfrezi hot!!
- You can use cooked prawns if you prefer, but they will need slightly less cooking – just enough to ensure they are piping hot all the way through. Also, if you use cooked prawns you shouldn’t reheat leftovers, since you shouldn’t reheat cooked prawns more than once.
- Suitable for freezing (if you use raw prawns).
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
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Corina Blum says
It looks delicious! I totally agree that a healthy homemade curry like this is just as good as midweek meal as it is for a weekend fakeaway!
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks Corina! Gotta a love a healthy homemade curry 😀
Lesley says
Lovely flavours in this easy prawn jalfrezi, I’m a huge fan of quick curries mid week.
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Lesley! Glad you like it 😀
Janice says
What a great quick-fix recipe. I don’t know why I don’t use prawns in curry more often!
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Janice! Oh I know – curries in prawns work so well… but it’s so easy to forget that they are an option! Eb 🙂
Sandhya says
Love easy homemade curries and this Jalfrezi looks delicious.
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks Sandhya. So pleased you like it 🙂
sophia says
Its so yummy.
Eb Gargano says
Glad you like it! Eb 🙂