Goan Dry Prawns Curry / Sukya Sungtache Hooman – In Goa during the rainy seasons whenever we don’t get fresh fish we use dry fish like dry mackerels, dry prawns, etc to make dishes and to satisfy our fish cravings. We Goans are pesco vegetarians meaning fish eating people. In Goa most people don’t eat fish on Mondays and Thursdays. But they crave for fish even on those non-fish eating days. Sukya Sungtache Hooman – Sukya means dry, Sungtache means of prawns and Hooman means fish curry is a traditional and authentic Goan dish that we Goans make specially during the rainy season.
So when there is no fresh fish available in market during the rainy season, we Goans manage with dry fish eagerly waiting for the season to get over. That is because, the fisherman are not allowed to go fishing as it is the breeding season for the fish and also risky to venture the Arabian Sea with their fishing trawlers. So from June to mid-August fisherman are not allowed to go fishing.
Being in Bangalore for so many years, we sometimes survive on dry fish like that that we get from Goa during our visits there. That is because fresh fish is always not available in Bangalore and the fish that we get here is mostly not fresh like how we get in Goa.
I have added drumsticks to this curry. You can add raw mango or radish too. However some people in Goa don’t add any type of vegetable to this curry.
Also check top 10 Goan fish curry recipes.
1 small katori / 1/2 cup dry prawns
1 cup grated coconut (coconut of small size)
1 marble sized ball of tamarind
1 tsp turmeric powder
4-5 dry red chillies / byadgi chilies / shepda / Kashmiri red chilies
5 peppercorns
1 drumstick
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 + 1/4 chopped onion
1 teaspoon oil
Instructions:
In a non-stick pan or kadai, add 1 tablespoon oil and slightly roast the dry prawns and keep them aside.
Peel and chop the drumstick into 5-6 pieces. Boil these drumstick pieces separately in water and keep it aside.
Grind grated coconut, turmeric powder, tamarind, peppercorns, coriander and red chilies by adding 1/2 cup water into a thick smooth gravy.
In a kadai or deep bottomed bowl, add oil and fry the onions till they turn pinkish.
Add the gravy and stir. Add 1/2 cup water to the gravy.
Add boiled drumsticks to the gravy and simmer for 5 Mins.
Add the dry prawns and again simmer for 10 Mins.
Close the lid of the pan and switch off the gas.
After this, take a tadka pan, add oil to it and fry 1/4 chopped onion on high flame till the onion gets burnt.
After it burns, slightly open the lid of the aluminum bowl in which the gravy is present and carefully immerse the tadka pan into the gravy.
This gives a classic smoked flavour to the gravy.
Note: The gravy should neither be too thick nor too thin.
Serve it with rice and dry mackerel kishmoor and some fried fish.
Try this Goan dry mackerel curry or sukya bangdyache hooman and have a great time.
Sapana Behl
2013-09-17 at 2:19 pmMust be flavorful..
Priya R
2013-09-17 at 4:43 pmI love goan curry can imagine how good this must be
divya
2013-09-18 at 12:36 amyummy n scrumptious ..
Priya Suresh
2013-09-18 at 2:10 pmThe colour of the dish itself is very pleasing and attractive,mouthwatering prawn curry.
Vimitha Anand
2013-09-18 at 4:29 pmNice flavorful curry
Shaami
2013-09-20 at 10:22 amHi there, I found your blog through a random search….Nice blog. Following you and will be happy if you follow me back as well.
Raksha
2013-09-21 at 3:18 pmThanks everyone for the nice comments
Makathi Shenoy
2017-08-28 at 10:27 am❤️❤️
Raksha Kamat
2017-08-31 at 6:49 pmThanks