Prawns with Green Onion Flower Stalks and Potatoes

During the winter season in India you will find an abundance of bolting green onion flower stalks which tend to be a little firmer and hold their tubular shape whilst being cooked. They add a lovely onion flavour to the dish whilst retaining a firm bite often transforming a prawn or vegetable dish with its addition. You will taste a beautiful delicate sweetness when eating the stalks.

It’s difficult to source stalks here unless you have an allotment, know someone with an allotment or grow your own onions.

These were very welcome when I had my own allotment but available in limited amounts. I sometimes find them in the Specialist Bengali supermarkets and will then definitely walk out with a bunch.
They tend to keep well in the fridge for good 4 days!

This dish can be cooked with spring onions but they would need to go in with the prawns almost towards the end. There will be a slight difference in taste but the flavours should be there. Its definitely one to try!

All measurements are level spoons and measuring cups.

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons of oil
1/2 tsp each of salt and turmeric to fry prawns.
500g cleaned prawns.
½ tsp of Nigella seeds
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion finely chopped.
350g of green onion stalks cut into 2 inch lengths
One potato cut into similar length strips to your green onions.
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of turmeric
1 tsp of chilli powder
1.5 tsp of cumin powder
1.5 tsp of coriander powder
3 fresh green chillies sliced

METHOD:

Add the oil to the pan and heat well, add a pinch of salt and turmeric to flavour the oil and to this add your cleaned prawns.
Gently fry for a couple of minutes and then remove your prawns with a slotted spoon.

You will have noticed that the prawns release some liquid into the oil, do not worry about this as this has flavoured your oil.

In the remaining oil add half a teaspoon of nigella seeds and wait until the oil takes on the flavour of the nigella seeds and you can smell the aroma coming off your oil.
Now to this add your minced garlic. Fry this for a good minute.

Then add your onions, you want to continue frying your onions with the garlic.
You will notice that the water content will have evaporated by this stage. Continue to cook your garlic and onions of 3 to 4 minutes.

Now add in your green onion and again fry this for couple of seconds.
Now add in your potatoes that have been cut into 2 cm strips, similar to your spring onions and add the sugar.

Fry this again for about 2 to 3 minutes at all times keeping it on a medium heat.

Add salt to taste, your turmeric, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder then fry for about 5 minutes to incorporate your spices well.

Now add half a cup of water. Stir well bring to a simmer. Cook this covered till potatoes nearly done and oil is splitting and water nearly evaporated.

Add in your sauté prawns. Stir the prawns well into the dish and your slit green chillies.

Next add another half cup of water and continue to cook on medium/ high until your potatoes are cooked stirring occasionally but try not to break your potatoes and you see water splitting. Take it off heat and let it stand for few minutes.

Aim to leave a little bit of sauce in your dish as once you stop the cooking process your potatoes will continue to absorb a little more of the sauce and dish will dry further.

You want to finish with a dish with a little bit of sauce at the bottom and sauce clinging to the potatoes and onions.

Serve with hot rice or lucci/puri.

Step by step pics below of cooking stages