Prawns in Spicy Coconut Sauce

Description
Yield: 1 servings

Ingredients

 * 14 oz canned coconut milk
 * 8 dried, red chile peppers
 * 2 tsp cumin seeds
 * 2 tsp coriander seeds
 * 1 tsp turmeric
 * 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
 * 6 garlic cloves, minced
 * 5 tbsp peanut oil
 * 1 lg onion, thinly sliced
 * salt
 * 1 lb prawns, shelled, de-veined

Directions

 * 1) Process the grated fresh coconut or the desiccated coconut with 3½ cups hot water in a food processor.
 * 2) Drape a piece of folded cheesecloth over a bowl and pour the coconut mixture into the cheesecloth.
 * 3) Strain the liquid, squeezing the pulp to extract as much milk as possible.
 * 4) This is thick coconut milk; set aside.
 * 5) Pour 2½ cups hot water over the coconut in the cheesecloth and squeeze to extract more milk into another bowl.
 * 6) This second extract is thin coconut milk. Set aside.
 * 7) If you are using canned coconut milk, skip this step and proceed with the recipe.
 * 8) Grind the chile peppers, cumin and coriander seeds in a spice grinder and set aside.
 * 9) Process the thick coconut milk (or canned coconut milk) with the ground spices, turmeric, ginger and garlic; set aside.
 * 10) Heat the oil in a heavy, shallow pan.
 * 11) Add the onions and cook until the edges begin to turn almost reddish brown (about 15 minutes), stirring frequently.
 * 12) Add the coconut-spice mixture and cook until the liquid evaporates and oil separates from the paste.
 * 13) Cook this paste for 10 more minutes, stirring constantly.
 * 14) Stir in the reserved thin coconut milk (or 2 cups water, if you have used canned coconut milk) and let simmer until reduced to a creamy sauce. Add salt to taste.
 * 15) Stir the prawns into the sauce and cook a few minutes until the prawns are just cooked.
 * 16) Serve with steamed rice.

Grated fresh coconut

 * 1) Pierce the eyes of a fresh coconut and drain off the liquid.
 * 2) Put the coconut in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes.
 * 3) Break it open with a hammer and separate the meat from the hard shell in large pieces.
 * 4) Break the pieces into smaller ones and, using a vegetable peeler, peel the brown skin off the meat.
 * 5) Grate the coconut meat in a food processor.