Name: Fuzz Ali’s Fijian prawn curry will be ready in 35 minutes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 long red chillies (remove seeds for less heat); 10 cloves garlic, peeled; 1cm piece ginger; 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns; Sea-salt flakes, to taste; 1/4 cup ghee; 1 sprig curry leaves; 1 makrut lime leaf, torn; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds; 1 large brown onion, thinly sliced; 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped; 3 rounded tablespoons Fiji curry powder (or 2 tablespooons garam masala with 1 tablespooon turmeric); 1 teaspoon caster sugar; 170ml coconut milk; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 400g peeled green king prawns, deveined; Coriander leaves, steamed rice, to serve

Although I grew up in Fiji’s capital city, Suva,  I  have strong recollections of Sigatoka, the riverside town my mother is from. A two-hour drive west of Suva, the town and its valley are the salad bowl of Fiji.

I remember the abundance of vividly coloured produce on display at the town market. It was a place of raucous laughter, wild colour and incredible humidity. My favourite stop was always at the seafood vendors, and I dare say that my love affair with seafood was birthed looking down at freshly caught prawns from the Sigatoka River, laid out on large green leaves. We’d take these prawns home and make them into a simple curry to be eaten on the same day.

I still feel that prawn curry is perhaps the most Fijian of all curries. It connects the spices with the waters that brought my family to the place we have called home for more than five generations.

In a way, I’ve recreated the food story of my ancestors. I brought my memories, my recipes, and my spices with me. And now I join those with the Australian seafood that I love. The seafood from the ocean that I call home.

Ingredients

2 long red chillies (remove seeds for less heat)

10 cloves garlic, peeled

1cm piece ginger

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

Sea-salt flakes, to taste

1/4 cup ghee

1 sprig curry leaves

1 makrut lime leaf, torn

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 large brown onion, thinly sliced

2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

3 rounded tablespoons Fiji curry powder (or 2 tablespooons garam masala with 1 tablespooon turmeric)

1 teaspoon caster sugar

170ml coconut milk

Juice of 1/2 lemon

400g peeled green king prawns, deveined

Coriander leaves, steamed rice, to serve

Method

Step 1

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the chillies, garlic and ginger with the peppercorns and a pinch of sea salt to form a coarse paste.

Step 2

Heat the ghee in a wide pan on high heat. Add the curry leaves, lime leaf, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes or until fragrant. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes, until softened and lightly caramelised. Reduce heat to medium if the onions are browning too quickly.

Step 3

Add tomatoes and cook for 2–3 minutes or until they start to break down. Stir in the pounded chilli paste and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic.

Step 4

Sprinkle in curry powder, season with salt and add sugar. Stir for 30 seconds, then pour in coconut milk, stirring. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Step 5

Stir in lemon juice, then add the prawns. Simmer for 3–5 minutes, turning the prawns in the sauce, until just cooked through and opaque.

Step 6

Check the flavour and adjust the salt or lemon juice to taste. Scatter the curry with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

*(Photography: Con Poulos | Styling: Lucy Busuttil)*

Food Contributor Fuzz Ali Food Contributor

Fuzz Ali is a modern Pacific food voice blending heritage, heat and high-impact flavour into refined recipes that linger long after the last bite. He brings a polished, soulful approach to Pacific and Indo-Fijian cuisine, transforming tradition into something fun and new for everybody.