Prawns or Shrimp are my all time favorite seafood. I like it in any form. We have a farmer’s market here that gets prawns just during the summer time. So I like to stock up on them, make balchao (prawns pickle), curries, fry them… Oh! The best 4 months of the year for us! I just happened to get my first batch of the year this weekend. Mayur requested that I make an appetizer with it and I was craving some good ole balchao. So I combined the both and made an appetizer influenced by the balchao. It is a perfect party snack.
What you will need:
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| For the Mashed Potatoes | |
| Potatoes | around 3 large (or enough to make 2 cups of mashed potatoes) |
| Salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Pepper | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Buttermilk | 3/4 cup (may have to adjust per your potato moisture.) |
| For the filling: | |
| Prawns | around 12 large(cleaned and deveined) |
| Oil | 2 tablespoons |
| Shallots | 125 grams |
| Garlic | 50 grams |
| Ginger | 20 grams |
| Kashmiri Chili Powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Turmeric | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Freshly Chopped Coriander | 1/4 cup |
| Jaggery | 2 tablespoons |
| Coconut Vinegar | 2 tablespoons |
| Rum | 2 tablespoons |
| Salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Cinnamon Powder | 1/3 teaspoon |
| Black Pepper Powder | 1/2 teaspoon |
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooke Time: 1 hour
Assembly Time: 10 minutes
Servings: Makes around 6 baskets
How to make it:
For the baskets:
- Preheat the over to 350 degree F.
- You will need 2 cups of mashed potatoes.
- To make mashed potatoes, boil around 3 large potatoes in water until done.
- Remove the skin and mash them.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Add around 3/4 cup butter milk. Add little butter milk at a time. You may need more or less depending on the moisture content in your potatoes.
- Keep a muffin pan greased and ready.
- Divide the mixture into 6 parts and pour it into the muffin pan.
- While it is warm, carefully, shape it around the pan, keeping the center hollow, to form a cup.
Arrange the mashed potatoes in the muffin pan to form baskets - Place in the oven and bake for around an hour or until it begins to brown.
- Once the cups begin to brown in the oven, remove and let them cool slightly on a cooling rack to prevent them from getting soggy.
Bake until golden brown - Tip: Once you shape and form the potato cups in the muffin pan, you could also freeze the cups. Once frozen, dip them in egg and then flour and deep fry them for a more golden brown color and a crispier texture.
To make the masala:
- In a mixer, add red chili powder, turmeric powder, cinnamon powder, pepper powder, jaggery, salt, and garlic.
- Add vinegar and rum to the mixer.
- Turn into a fine paste.
To make the prawns filling:
- Heat oil in a vessel.
- Add finely chopped shallots and sauté until they begin to brown.
- Add the masala. Sauté on a low flame until the oil begins to separate from the masala.
- Add the finely chopped coriander.
- Add the cleaned prawns and coat them with the masala.
- Cook until the prawns are done.
Prawns filling
Put it all together:
- Add the filling in the potato baskets and enjoy with your loved ones!