Name: King Prawn Balti Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 4 tbsp Oil; 240 g King Prawns; 250 ml Water; 1 Small Onion; 1 Green Chilli; 2 Medium Garlic Cloves; 1 Thumb-Size Ginger; 2 Large Tomatoes; Handful Fresh Coriander; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Chilli Powder; ½ tsp Turmeric; ½ tsp Grounded Fenugreek (Or Fenugreek Leaves); 1 tsp Garam Masala

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King Prawn Balti Curry

A king prawn balti curry that’s full of flavour, spice and garlic. This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes for an Indian fakeaway made in the comfort of your own home.

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Looking for a balti curry that’s quick, tasty and uses no pre-made sauces? Well, here it is! This easy king prawn balti is a delicious curry ready in only 25 minutes.

It’s made with a range of Indian spices, garlic, ginger, fresh tomatoes and coriander to make a rich balti that’s full of flavour.

Simple yet so tasty, this curry is the perfect midweek meal. Serve with pilau rice and naan bread for an easy dinner the whole family will enjoy.

What Is Balti Flavour?

A balti curry is flavoured with garlic, onions, turmeric, garam masala, fenugreek leaves and other spices. It’s usually served with lamb or goat but other meats like chicken or prawns can be used instead.

The name comes from what the curry is served in – a balti bowl, the curry is both cooked and served in this pan. You might have seen one at your local Indian takeaway, it’s a wide pan with two loop handles (like in the pictures).

Is A Balti Curry Spicy?

How hot is a balti? It’s definitely a low to medium curry that’s quite mild in heat. Out of 1 to 10 with 10 being the hottest, I think a balti would sit comfortably at 4 or 5.

A balti curry isn’t typically spicy, it’s not the type of curry where you’ll need to drink lots of water during and after.

Watch How To Make It

Recipe Ingredients:

Below are the ingredients needed for this recipe:

Oil: I used vegetable oil but you can use other oils like rapeseed oil or ghee.
King Prawns: Use fresh raw prawns, buy them deshelled and deveined or prep this yourself prior to making this dish. You can use cooked prawns, but they need to simmer for less time or they can turn rubbery.
Ginger And Garlic: Adds extra flavour to the curry.
Onion: I used one small onion.
Tomatoes: Finely chop the tomatoes into small chunks. I used 4 medium tomatoes.
Green Chilli: I used a green chilli from a bag of mixed chillies which have a moderate heat level. The type of chilli you use will determine the heat level of the curry. Use mild chillies for a mild curry.
Spices: Salt, chilli powder, turmeric, grounded fenugreek and garam masala are the spices used in this king prawn balti recipe.
Fresh Coriander: A handful of fresh coriander is added to the curry a few minutes before the curry has finished cooking. It adds colour and taste.

How To Make A King Prawn Balti Curry (Step-By-Step)

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make this Indian king prawn balti curry (like the takeaway). Full recipe instructions are on the recipe card:

Step One:

On a moderate heat add oil to a balti bowl or pan. Fry the diced onions and chillies for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened and starting to brown.

Add diced garlic and ginger and fry for 30 seconds stirring frequently.

Step Two:

Add the chopped tomatoes and leave to simmer for 5 minutes or until broken down. Stir occasionally to prevent the onions from sticking to the pan.

Then add salt, chilli powder, turmeric, grounded fenugreek and garam masala. Continue to stir for a further 30 seconds.

Step Three:

Add water and leave the curry to simmer until it has thickened. Stir the curry occasionally. This should take roughly 5 to 10 minutes.

Step Four:

Add the king prawns and leave to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the pan.

Step Five:

Sprinkle with fresh coriander, serve and enjoy!

What To Serve With Prawn Balti

Serve this balti curry with 2 ingredient flatbreads, crispy onion bahjis, pilau rice or even with a dollop of this homemade caramelised red onion chutney.

Or simply serve with naan breads and scoop the balti curry out of the bowl and into your mouth. I’ve listed a few side recipes below:

Keema Naan
Keema Rice

More Curry Recipes

Below are more easy and tasty curry recipes: