A savoury pie with a slice cut out of it

Goan prawn and coconut pie

Name: Goan prawn and coconut pie
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 6-8 as a brunch
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 15g butter, melted, for the tin; 250g rice flour, plus extra for the tin; 40g freshly grated coconut; 1 heaped tbsp caster sugar; 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast; 3 eggs; 8 dried kashmiri chillies or dried mild red chillies, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes; 5cm piece (about 25g) ginger, peeled and roughly chopped; 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; ½ tsp black peppercorns; 2½cm piece cinnamon stick, crushed; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 6 cloves; 4 tbsp vegetable oil; 500g white onions, finely chopped; 50ml Goan toddy vinegar or malt vinegar; 1 tbsp caster sugar; 1 tbsp coconut cream; 450g king prawns, peeled, de-veined and roughly chopped; a small bunch coriander, finely chopped

Preparation and cooking time
- Total time1 hr and 30 mins
- + Soaking + Resting
A little effort
Serves 6-8 as a brunch

Ingredients

15g butter, melted, for the tin

BATTER

250g rice flour, plus extra for the tin
40g freshly grated coconut
1 heaped tbsp caster sugar
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
3 eggs

MASALA PASTE

8 dried kashmiri chillies or dried mild red chillies, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
5cm piece (about 25g) ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
½ tsp black peppercorns
2½cm piece cinnamon stick, crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds
6 cloves

PRAWNS MASALA FILLING

4 tbsp vegetable oil
500g white onions, finely chopped
50ml Goan toddy vinegar or malt vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp coconut cream
450g king prawns, peeled, de-veined and roughly chopped
a small bunch coriander, finely chopped

Method

STEP 1
To make the batter, combine the rice flour, coconut, sugar, yeast and a large pinch of salt. Add the eggs and 250ml of water. Whisk until smooth. Cover and leave for 1 hour until bubbled up.
STEP 2
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Blitz all the masala paste ingredients plus 50ml of the chilli soaking liquid in a blender until smooth – you can grind the whole spices with a pestle and mortar first if your blender isn’t powerful enough. Set aside.
STEP 3
For the filling, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the onions for 35-40 minutes, stirring a few times, until the onions have reduced and are golden brown.
STEP 4
Add the paste and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat. Add the vinegar and sugar. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the coconut cream. Fry for a minute. Season, add the prawns, stir and cook for a minute. Add the coriander, turn off the heat, cover and leave to cool.
STEP 5
Brush an 18cm round springform cake tin with the melted butter. Lightly dust with rice flour. Pour in half the batter, add the prawns, and pour over the rest of the batter. Bake on the oven’s middle shelf for 30-35 minutes or until it springs back when pressed and is golden. Invert onto a plate. Leave to cool slightly. Serve warm.