Sri Lankan Style Prawn Stir Fry 🇱🇰

I first saw this dish made by a Sri Lankan chef in one of Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey series. It's quick, full of flavour and contrast in texture the way it is cooked, with half of the vegetables finely chopped and stir fried with the prawns and the remaining half sliced into big chunks tossed in before serving for the crunch.  On the map, Sri Lanka is just across the Indian Ocean from Western Australia, but those who took the perilous journey by boat seeking political asylum or a better life in our country have not always been welcomed with open arms.  If it wasn't for a Sri Lankan couple inviting my husband and I to their home for a family feast, I would not have been introduced to their amazing culture and cuisine.  Enjoy this dish with plenty of rice and spare a thought for the plight of asylum seekers on our doorstep.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 12 medium size raw prawns (about 200g / 7oz  )
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 medium size red onion (about 160g / 5⅔oz)
• 2 large tomatoes (about 300g / 10½oz)
• 1 medium size green capsicums (about 60g / 2oz)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• ½ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes
• ¼ sea salt
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

METHOD

1. Remove heads and shells from prawns, then make a slit on the back of each prawn to expose and remove the vein.  (When prawns are prepared this way, they cook quickly and curl up beautifully when stir fried.)  Coat the prawns with turmeric powder.
2. Peel and cut the onion in half.  Finely chop one half of the onion and slice the other half into wedges.
3. Finely chop one tomato and slice the other into wedges.
4. Remove seeds and membranes from capsicums.  Slice into chunks.
5. Heat oil in a wok over medium high heat until hot.  Add the chopped onion, garlic, cinnamon, chilli flakes and salt.  Sauté for a minute until fragrant.  Add the chopped tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of water and sauté for a few more minutes until a sauce begin to form.  
6. Add the prawns and sauté them in the sauce until they curl up and cook through.
7. Toss in the green capsicums, the onion wedges and the tomato wedges.  Stir fry for a further 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and sprinkle on the lime juice.
8. Serve hot with rice.