Curry prawn fuchka with raita

"Fuchka is a dish I hold near and dear to my heart. I remember the first time I travelled to Bangladesh to meet my family when I was 6. These scrumptious street snacks became a daily craving for me while I was there."

Curry prawn fuchka with raita Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ small brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
• ½ garlic clove, finely chopped
• 70 g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 50 g frozen baby peas
• 180 g raw peeled prawns, intestinal tract removed, diced
• 16 store-bought puri shells
• ground black pepper, to taste
• roughly chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

Raita

• 250 ml plain Greek yoghurt
• ½ small, short (Lebanese) cucumber, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped mint, plus extra leaves to garnish
• lemon juice, to taste
• salt, to taste

Masala

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder

Instructions

1. For the raita, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, scatter with the extra mint leaves.
2. For the masala, place all the spices in a small bowl and stir to combine.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and a pinch of salt and stir until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the masala and stir until fragrant.
4. Add the chickpeas and peas, stir until well combined, then add 60 ml (¼ cup) water. Simmer until the water has reduced by half, then stir in the prawns and cook for 1–2 minutes or just until cooked through. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl.
5. Using your fingers, create a small hole in the top of each puri shell. Using a teaspoon, fill the shells with the prawn mixture, make sure you work fast as the liquid from the prawn mixture will soften the shells.
6. Place the raita on a serving platter and arrange the filled puri around it. Scatter with coriander and serve immediately.

 

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.