This one-pot prawn dhansak is delicious, protein-packed and ready in just 25 minutes. Serve with rice and naan bread or simply on its own.
Today is full of melancholy and wishfulness. It’s grey and rainy outside and the Christmas tree has finally been denuded of decorations. All baubles and lights have been packed away and the poor tree taken out to be recycled. The room suddenly seems very big and emptyand my son keeps asking when it will be Christmas again.
Comfort food is very much in order to beat the post-Christmas blues and this prawn dhansak hits all the right notes: filling but healthy, quick and suitable for Slimming World too.
Red lentil based curries are brilliant as they cook really quick. Dhansak curries can be made with lamb, chicken or prawns and this version is probably the quickest, ready in just 25 minutes.
You can use raw or frozen prawns (or shrimp) for this recipe, I usually prefer frozen ones as they are just a little bit cheaper and easier to source.
This curry is suitable for Slimming World with very minor modifications – using cooking spray such as Fry Light instead of oil, sweetener instead of sugar and fresh pineapple instead of tinned.
Have you made my prawn dhansak?
Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes. I can’t wait to see your take on it!
MORE CURRY RECIPES TO TRY
- Pressure Cooker Lamb Dhansak curry
- Slow cooker Indian butter chicken curry
- 10 minute pressure cooker vegan curry
- Pressure Cooker lamb and butternut squash korma
One-pot Prawn Dhansak
Ingredients
- 2 onions peeled and finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and finely diced
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger peeled and finely diced (or you can use ground ginger)
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar or sweetener (optional)
- 2 red or green chillies finely diced
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 4 cardamom pods crushed
- 2 tsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- a few fresh curry leaves rinsed (optional)
- 200 g | 1 cup red lentils rinsed
- 400 g | 14oz raw peeled prawns (shrimp)
- 5 large tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 625 ml | 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock more if needed
- 400 g | 14oz tin pineapple chunks in juice or fresh pineapple
- Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime add more, to taste
- fresh coriander cilantro leaves to garnish
- vegetable oil for frying or cooking spray
- salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large deep-sided pan. Fry the spices, ginger and chillies for a couple of minutes until the mustard seeds start to pop.
- Lower the heat and add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the red lentils and stir. Add the stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, pineapple chunks + their juice, and palm sugar and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are quite soft - about 15 minutes.
- Add the prawns and lemon juice and stir them in. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Check if you need to top up with water if the pan is too dry and food is sticking.
- Add salt as needed and more lemon/lime juice if you like. Remove the cardamom pods and curry leaves.
- Serve sprinkled with chopped coriander with rice and naan bread or simply on its own.
Zar says
Tasted too sweet with the pineapple for my taste. I probably wouldn’t use it (or at least a lot less) next time.
Lucy Parissi says
I guess it depends on how sweet your pineapple is – never overly sweet in the UK and I usually used tinned. But yes totally up to your preference – you can leave it out altogether
Unknown says
This recipe, while it has a number of ingredients, was easy to prepare and tasted great. It was sweet but not overly spicy like some Indian foods can be. The total cost for this meal was less than $20. It feed a family of 4 and we had left-overs.
Give it a try, I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Linda Hildebrand says
Looks wonderful but lentils and pineapple are not low carb.
Lucy Parissi says
Fair enough – but much lower in carbs than most curries which are normally served with rice and contain a lot of ghee.
Honest Mum says
Utterly beautiful and so healthy too x
Sarah Fennel says
Gorgeous photos as always, Lucy. I've never had prawl dhansak, but if passed a bowl right now I would devour it! Happy New Year to you and yours 🙂
Emma Paterson says
Do you have details of calories per serving for this one? Not sure what to pop into my calorie counter app. Thanks!
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Emma – I am sorry I am not able to calculate the calories for you. According to a website Chicken Dhansak is 750 calories per serving (as takeaway). I imagine homemade Prawn Dhansak (which doesn't contain ghee or other high fat ingredients) is significantly lower in calories overall.
Jen Price says
I love prawns in a curry and this one looks gorgeous with all of it's bright colours, one pot cooking is always a winner too.
Hannah Hossack-lodge says
Your photos are stunning (as always!) And it sounds delicious, exactly the kind of thing I like to eat 🙂 I will definitely be giving this a go. As for exercise videos, I like fitness blender http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/full-length-workouts/ they are free and have a really wide range of workouts 🙂
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks Hannah – this curry is really delicious… Thanks so much for the exercise video recommendation it looks really good!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Never have I heard of prawn dhansak before.. but after seeing how incredibly flavoursome and tasty it looks, I definitely need to try out the recipe. I always pick up delicious ideas after visiting your site Lucy! x
Kate Glutenfreealchemist says
Man that looks tasty! Fresh, vibrant and very tempting. Please send over a bowl straight away!!!!
Lucy Parissi says
I love it! I think curries will feature heavily in my diet I have bookmarked a few recipes I am very excited about.