Prawns fried crisp and juicy inside is a Kerala mainstay dish like all kinds of fried fish. So it is in Sri Lanka too. The Jaffna mix of masalas are freshly ground.
Freshly ground masalas like red chillies, coriander seeds, pepper corns and turmeric are usually ground on a ‘Arakallu’ or the grinding stone – a neccessity in all old and traditional Kerala kitchens. Today mixer machines have ensured the gradual disappearance of the grinding stone. These ground masalas are then rubbed onto the prawns and allowed to marinate for at least 30 minutes. These are then gently lowered into hot, coconut oil and slightly fried till done.