Mangalorean prawn sukka with step by step photos and a video recipe. Prawn sukka (or yetti sukka) is a dry or semi-dry prawns curry from Mangalorean cuisine. It is made with fresh prawns, coconut, red chilies, tamarind, and a few basic spices. Serve this spicy and tangy prawns sukka with steamed rice or neer dosa.
I love Mangalorean dishes. I grew up enjoying foods from Mangalorean cuisine. This cuisine is from the coastal city of Mangalore (officially called Mangaluru), the Indian state of Karnataka.
This cuisine is famous for its spicy dishes like Prawns Ghee Roast, Chicken Ghee Roast, Fish Fry, or Mangalorean Chicken Sukka. These are our family favorites and at least one of them has to be there on Sunday’s menu.
Table of Contents
About this recipe
In this recipe post, I am sharing how to make Mangalorean-style prawn sukka with homemade sukka masala. It is also known as Yetti sukka/Yetti Ajadina in the Tulu language.
“Yetti” means “prawns” in the Tulu language and “sukka” means “dry“. This dry prawn curry has all the delectable flavors of Coastal cuisine. This prawn sukke is spicy and tangy with a delightful aroma.
It is made with prawns, freshly scraped coconut, red chilies, ground spices, and tamarind. You can serve it with steamed rice, Neer Dosa or Roti.
You can make this recipe within 30 minutes. All the ingredients required to make this Mangalorean prawn sukka is easily available in your kitchen pantry.
The only time-consuming task is to clean and devein the prawns. I recommend cleaning and deveining the prawns in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the freezer in small batches.
Whenever you are ready to cook, thaw the prawns on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes and then use it. Or to save time, you can purchase already-cleaned prawns from the market.
You may also like these other popular Mangalorean recipes from this website:
Why You Need This Recipe
- Easy step-by-step instructions with photos and a recipe video.
- Easy to customize. Check out the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
- Homemade sukka masala powder – Every family has its own recipes to make sukka masala. Freshly ground sukka masala is so aromatic and takes the dish to next level. I have shared the recipe in the post. This sukka masala powder recipe is surely a keeper. You can add it to any other non-vegetarian recipes like chicken sukka or mutton sukka.
- Balanced flavor – This recipe is not too spicy. You can adjust the spices as per your taste by increasing or decreasing the sukka masala powder. This is the dish that your whole family can enjoy including the kids.
- Make ahead recipe – You can cook it in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days.
- Gluten-free
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Prawns – I used fresh prawns. You can also use frozen prawns but thaw them properly before you use them.
- Flavoring – Turmeric, salt, and red chili powder.
- Red Chilies – I used byadagi red chilies. They give bright red color to the dish and are not spicy. You can substitute it with Kashmiri red chilies.
- For Sukka Masala Powder – cumin, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds.
- Onion, Ginger & Garlic – Fresh red onions, ginger, and garlic is used to make this dry prawn curry. You can substitute red onions with yellow onions. Also, you can substitute fresh ginger and garlic with store-bought ginger and garlic paste.
- Oil – Coconut oil gives an authentic aroma and flavor to this sukka. You can use any neutral flavor oil like sunflower oil.
- Coconut – Freshly scraped coconut is used to make this sukka. You can substitute it with dry coconut or desiccated coconut.
- Tamarind – It gives a tangy kick to the dish. You can substitute it with lemon juice or vinegar.
- Tomato – Fresh tomato tastes the best. You can substitute it with canned tomato or 1 tsp tomato paste or simply skip it if it is not available.
- Herbs – Curry leaves and coriander leaves. Curry leaves give an authentic south Indian flavor to this yetti sukka.
For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
Tips to make the Best Prawn Sukka
- Clean and devein the prawns. Using a sharp knife, make a small cut on the outer side of the prawn and remove the black vein. If the vein is not removed, it creates digestion problems.
- Dry roast all the ingredients on low to medium heat. Make sure to stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and avoid burning the spices.
- Deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
- You can substitute sukka masala powder with store-bought garam masala powder. Add ½ tsp garam masala powder or add it as per your taste.
- Be careful while adding water to the recipe. It is a semi-dry prawns dish and you have to use less water during all the stages of cooking.
- Curry leaves are the signature flavor of Mangalorean cuisine. Do not skip it.
- The sukka masala powder is going to spice up this dish. Add as per your taste. If you prefer spicy, add more. Similarly, if you prefer less spicy, add less.
- If you do not have tamarind, skip it while making sukka masala powder. Add lemon juice at the end after adding the coconut.
- Do not increase the quantity of mustard or fenugreek seeds. It will make the masala bitter.
Step by step instructions with photos
Preparations
- To marinate the prawns – Clean and devein the prawns. In a mixing bowl, combine prawn, salt, and turmeric powder. Marinate for 30 minutes. (image 1)
- Roughly crush ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Set it aside.
- Chop the onions and tomatoes. Set them aside.
- Grate the coconut and set it aside.
Making Sukka Masala
- Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Dry roast red chilies until crisp. Remove and set this aside on a plate. (image 2)
- In the same pan, dry roast cumin, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, and coriander seeds until aromatic. Remove it on the same plate. (image 3)
- In the same pan, add 1 tsp of oil. Fry garlic until the color changes to light golden. Next, add curry leaves and fry until crisp. Remove it to the same plate. (image 4)
- In the same pan, dry roast the coconut until it turns golden. Remove it to another plate. Let it cool down completely. (image 5)
- Transfer the roasted ingredients except the coconut to a mixer or grinder jar.
- Divide the roasted coconut into two parts. Add 3/4 of the roasted coconut to the mixer jar to make the sukka masala. Keep the remaining 1/4 aside. (image 6)
- Add turmeric powder and tamarind to the mixer jar. Grind without adding water to a fine powder. Homemade sukka masala is ready. (images 7 & 8)
- Grind it without adding water. Homemade chicken sukka masala powder is ready. Set this aside.
- You can store the prepared sukka masala powder in an airtight container in the freezer. Stays good for a month.
Making Mangalorean Prawn Sukka
- Heat 2-3 tsp of oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add onions and sauté until the onions are translucent.
- Next, add curry leaves, crushed ginger, and garlic. Sauté until the onions are golden. (image 9)
- Add tomatoes and cook until they are soft. (image 10)
- Now, add marinated prawns. Combine & cook until the prawn starts to curl.
- Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook until prawns are cooked. (image 11)
- Add the sukka masala and combine. (image 12)
- Taste the masala and then add salt and red chili powder as per taste. If needed you can add 2-3 tbsp water at this stage. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. (image 13)
- When masala starts to leave oil from the sides, add the remaining 1/4 cup of roasted coconut and coriander leaves. (images 14 & 15)
- Combine and cook on low for 2 minutes. Mangalorean prawn sukka is ready to serve. (image 16)
- Serve prawn sukka with Roti or rice and dal.
Storage Suggestions
- Transfer the leftover sukka to an airtight container. Store it in the freezer. Stays good for a month. Thaw, reheat, and serve.
- Store the leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
Serving suggestions
- You can serve prawns sukka with Neer dosa.
- Serve it with steamed rice and dal as a side dish.
- Serve it with Ghee rice or Jeera rice.
- Or pair it with Roti/Chapati.
Variations that you can try
- You can use clams instead of prawns.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below.
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Mangalorean prawn sukka
Mangalorean prawn sukka is a dry or semi-dry prawn curry from Mangalorean cuisine. Also known as Yetti Sukka/Yetti Ajadina, it is made with prawn, freshly ground sukka masala, tamarind, curry leaves and coconut. Serve this prawn sukka as a side dish with Neer Dosa, Roti or Rice and Dal.
Servings 4 people
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottom pan
Ingredients
To marinate the prawns
- 400 grams Prawns Deshelled and deveined
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
To make sukka masala
- 10-12 Dried bayadgi red chilies or Kashmiri red chilies
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 10-12 fenugreek seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp oil
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- curry leaves
- 3/4 cup scraped coconut
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- a small ball of tamarind
To make prawn sukka
- 2-3 tsp oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- curry leaves
- 5-6 garlic cloves and 1-inch ginger roughly crushed
- 1 tomato chopped
- salt
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves
Instructions
Preparations
- To marinate the prawns – Clean and devein the prawns. In a mixing bowl, combine prawn, salt, and turmeric powder. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- Roughly crush ginger and garlic in mortar and pestle. Set it aside.
- Chop the onions and set it aside.
- Grate the coconut and set it aside.
Making Sukka Masala
- Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Dry roast red chilies until crisp. Remove and set this aside on a plate.
- In the same pan, dry roast cumin, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, and coriander seeds until aromatic. Remove it on the same plate. Let them cool down to room temperature.
- In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil. Fry garlic until the color changes to light golden. Next, add curry leaves and fry until crisp. Remove it to the same plate.
- In the same pan, dry roast the coconut until it turns golden. Remove it on another plate. Let it cool down completely.
- Transfer the roasted ingredients except coconut to a mixer or grinder jar.
- Divide the roasted coconut in two parts. Add 3/4 of the roasted coconut to the mixer jar to make sukka masala. Keep the remaining 1/4 aside.
- Add turmeric powder and tamarind to the mixer jar. Grind without adding water to a fine powder. Homemade sukka masala is ready.
- Grind it without adding water. Homemade chicken sukka masala powder is ready. Set this aside.
- You can store the prepared sukka masala powder in an airtight container in the freezer. Stays good for a month
Making Mangalorean Prawn Sukka
- Heat 2-3 tsp of oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add onions and sauté until the onions are translucent.
- Next, add curry leaves, crushed ginger and garlic. Sauté until the onions are golden.
- Add tomatoes and cook until they are soft.
- Now, add marinated prawns. Combine & cook until prawn starts to curl.
- Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook until prawns are cooked.
- Add the sukka masala and combine. Taste the masala and then add salt and red chili powder as per taste. If needed you can add 2-3 tbsp water at this stage. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
- When masala starts to leave oil from sides, add the remaining 1/4 cup of roasted coconut and coriander leaves.
- Combine and cook on low for 2 minutes. Manglorean prawn sukka is ready to serve.
- Serve prawn sukka with Roti or rice and dal.
Video
Notes
- Clean and devein the prawns. Using a sharp knife, make a small cut on the outer side of the prawn and remove the black vein. If the vein is not removed, it creates digestion problems.
- Dry roast all the ingredients on low to medium heat. Make sure to stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and to avoid burning the spices.
- Deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
- You can substitute sukka masala powder with store-bought garam masala powder. Add ½ tsp garam masala powder or add it as per your taste.
- Be careful while adding water to the recipe. It is a semi-dry prawns dish and you have to use less water during all the stages of cooking.
- Curry leaves are the signature flavor of Mangalorean cuisine. Do not skip it.
- The sukka masala powder is going to spice up this dish. Add as per your taste. If you prefer spicy, add more. Similarly, if you prefer less spicy, add less.
- If you do not have tamarind, skip it while making sukka masala powder. Add lemon juice at the end after adding the coconut.
- Do not increase the quantity of mustard or fenugreek seeds. It will make the masala bitter.
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