Double-marinated prawn

1. Only use extremely fresh prawns; check that they are firm and translucent and that the eyes are not wrinkled. Remove the head and peel the shell away from the prawn meat, leaving the tails intact.

2. De-vein by cutting down the back of the prawns and lifting out the dark vein.

Tip: Cut three quarters through the length of the prawn (along the same cut from which the vein was removed) to flatten it open. They will butterfly open when cooked for a superb presentation.

3. Prepare the Jhinga (prawn) marinade. Rub it into the prawns and leave for 10 minutes.

4. To roast the sesame seeds, pour them into a non-stick fry pan and roast them over a low heat until golden brown (2-3 minutes). Shake the pan to turn the sesame seeds constantly to prevent them from burning. Crush them into a powder in a coffee grinder or with a pestle and mortar.

5. To make the second marinade, beat yoghurt in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients, except chaat masala and lemon juice. Stir in the crushed sesame seeds. Rub this mixture onto the prawns and keep them in a cool place for 15 minutes to rest before frying.

6. Preheat a deep-fryer to 190⁰C. Deep-fry the prawns. Fry them until they are a golden colour (3 to 5 minutes). Lift them out and let them drain on some kitchen paper. Sprinkle with some chaat masala and lemon juice.

Tip: Add the prawns to the fryer one by one to maintain the temperature of the oil in order to obtain very crisp prawns. They can also be pan-fried in a non-stick pan with a little oil.

Jhinga (prawn) marinade

1. Mix all the ingredients of the marinade together and then gently work it into the prawns and set aside.

Tip: This marinade also works well on any white fish

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