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    Home » Recipes » Curry recipes

    Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry with lychees

    Published: Jan 26, 2021 · Modified: Jun 16, 2024 by VJ · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Jump to recipe

    Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry is a mild, fragrant curry, sweetened by the addition of fresh lychees. Yoghurt provides a hint of a tang, and flaked almonds add a delightful crunch. You won't believe how much flavour is packed into this dish until you try it for yourself!

    Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry in a dish in front of a plate of homemade buttered naan bread.
    Jump to:
    • What is Kashmiri chicken curry?
    • Ingredients you will need
    • How to make Kashmiri curry
    • Variations
    • Can I freeze this curry?
    • Make ahead
    • Save for later
    • Related recipes
    • 📋The recipe

    What is Kashmiri chicken curry?

    Kashmiri curry originated in the northern Indian region of Kashmir. It is a mildly spicy curry, normally made with chicken or prawns, various spices and fruit. It is a fragrant curry, made in a tomato-based sauce and flavoured with almonds and yoghurt. The fruit element is provided by juicy lychees, which can be either fresh or canned.

    The dish can also contain coconut, although I find this makes it too sweet for my liking so I've left it out.

    I mentioned that this dish is made with chicken OR prawns. I think the combination of chicken AND prawns is super tasty, so for this version of Kashmiri curry, I've used both chicken and prawns.

    Because this dish has a lot of sauce you will need something to mop it up with. I have a quick buttery garlic naan bread recipe you might like to try. It's made with only 2 main ingredients - Greek yoghurt and self-raising flour. This is the most amazing naan bread - it's soft and chewy, made in minutes, and goes perfectly with the Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry.

    You may also like to add a side dish of fluffy white rice or even a bowl of this spicy mushroom fried rice.

    Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry in a dish in front of a bowl of white rice.

    So without further ado, let's see how to make this delicious Kashmiri curry.

    Ingredients you will need

    This Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry recipe is a generous one - I have allowed 5oz of protein (chicken and prawns) per person - and this will easily feed 4 hungry adults. However, the dish freezes well so you can save any leftovers for another meal.

    Ingredients for kashiri chicken and prawn curry.

    Spice mixture

    Left to right from top in image 1 above:

    • Garam masala
    • Dried chilli flakes - this is where you can adjust the heat to suit your own taste. For a milder curry add less chilli - you could even leave it out altogether if you prefer. If you don't have dried chilli flakes, substitute with cayenne pepper.
    • Cornflour (or cornstarch if you live in the US). Half of the cornflour will be used to coat the chicken, and the remainder will be used to thicken the sauce.
    • Ground coriander
    • Turmeric
    • Garlic - you can use fresh garlic cloves if you prefer, or use crushed garlic from a jar.
    • Ground cumin
    • Ginger - you can use fresh ginger, peeled and grated, or for convenience, use crushed ginger from a jar.

    Chicken and prawn mixture

    Left to right from top in image 2 above:

    • Onions - chopped into 1cm or half-inch dice
    • Prawns - (or shrimp if you live in the US) - I use raw frozen prawns that have already been shelled. If you use whole raw prawns you should devein them and remove the head and shell. You can use frozen cooked prawns if you prefer, but I find these tend to turn out 'rubbery'.
    • Skinless chicken breast fillets - these should be cut into bite-sized pieces. If you prefer you can use boneless chicken thighs instead.
    • Ground and flaked almonds - these are optional, but I highly recommend using them, especially the flaked almonds, as they provide a crunchy texture to the dish.
    • Fresh lychees - these provide the fruity element to Kashmiri curry. If you can't get hold of fresh lychees you can use a can, but make sure to drain off all the liquid. If you are using fresh lychees you should peel them and discard the large pip.
    • Tomato passata - this is pureed tomatoes with the pips and seeds removed. It is available in cartons (as pictured above) or in bottles. Make sure you get plain passata, not the one with added herbs.
    • Greek yoghurt - the tangy flavour of Greek yoghurt enhances the flavour of the curry. You can substitute this with thick natural yoghurt if you prefer.
    • Freshly chopped coriander (not pictured) - this is optional but highly recommended.
    • Sunflower or canola oil (not pictured) for frying - you can use any neutral flavoured oil - but I wouldn't use olive oil, as the flavour is too strong.

    How to make Kashmiri curry

    Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry is very easy to make. There are only 3 steps:

    • Brown the prawns and chicken
    • Make the sauce
    • Combine it all and serve.

    Brown the prawns and chicken

    • Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and coat in cornflour seasoned with a little salt (image 1 above). If you don't use salt, coat the chicken in plain cornflour.
    • Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the prawns gently until they turn pink (image 2 above). Transfer the prawns to a plate and set them aside. If you are using ready-cooked prawns you can omit this step.
    • Now stir-fry the chicken pieces (in the same pan) until they are nicely browned on all sides (image 3 above). Do this slowly, to give the chicken pieces time to cook through. You may need to add an additional splash of oil.
    • The chicken will be cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 74C/165F, or when a piece of chicken, cut in half, is no longer pink.
    • Once the chicken has browned and is cooked through, add to the prawns on the plate and set aside while you make the sauce.

    Make the sauce

    • Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan (if needed), then add the onions and fry them gently until they are translucent. Don't allow them to brown, keep the heat quite low and stir them as you fry. This will take about 5 minutes.
    • Add all the spices (including the remaining cornflour) and continue to stirfry until the onions are well coated and the spices start to release their aroma (image 1 above).
    • Stir in the tomato passata, yoghurt and the ground and flaked almonds (image 2 above).

    Combine it all

    • Add the cooked prawns and chicken and the lychees.
    • Finally, stir in the finely chopped fresh coriander (image 3 above).
    • Bring the sauce back to the boil.
    • Serve Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry with white rice and homemade buttery garlic naan bread.
    A plate of buttery garlic naan bread.

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    Variations

    If you want to add a coconut flavour, swap one cup of passata for one cup of coconut milk.

    You can also add one or two teaspoons of desiccated coconut to the curry.

    Can I freeze this curry?

    Yes, you can freeze Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry. Just allow it to cool, then pack it into a rigid plastic container and freeze for up to three months. Because the frozen prawns have been cooked they are perfectly safe to freeze again.

    To use, allow the curry to defrost in the refrigerator then heat it either in a pan on the stove or in the microwave. Eat immediately and do not refreeze.

    The defrosted Kashmiri curry should be kept in the refrigerator and eaten within 24 hours of being defrosted.

    Make ahead

    You can make Kashmiri chicken curry ahead of time and store it in a covered dish in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

    Reheat either in a pan on the stove or in the microwave and eat immediately.

    A balti dish filled with kashmiri chicken and prawn curry with rice.

    Save for later

    Why not pin this recipe for Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry to your Pinterest board so you can make it later? Just click the image below.

    Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

    Related recipes

    If you enjoyed this Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry, you may also like to try some of my other curry recipes:

    • A dish of lamb keema topped with a baked egg.
      Lamb keema (minced lamb curry with eggs)
    • A pan of Thai red curry seafood next to a dish of jasmine rice.
      Thai red curry seafood
    • Easy fish curry in a bowl next to a bowl of rice.
      Easy fish curry in a tomato and onion sauce
    • Chicken tikka masla in a bowl with rice next to a plate of naan bread.
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    📋The recipe

    A balti dish filled with kashmiri chicken and prawn curry with rice.

    Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry with lychees

    Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry is a mild spicy curry, sweetened by the addition of fresh lychees. Yoghurt provides a hint of a tang, and flaked almonds add a delightful crunch. You won't believe how much flavour is packed into this dish until you try it for yourself!
    Recipe by: Veronica
    Main Course
    Indian
    Calories 508
    Prep 20 minutes minutes
    Naan bread 20 minutes minutes
    Cook 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time 1 hour hour
    Servings: 4 people
    Print Pin Comment Bookmark Saved!
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    4.84 from 6 votes

    (Click the stars to rate this recipe)

    Equipment

    • Large frying pan
    • Mixing bowl
    • Sharp Knife
    • Chopping Board

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounce / 340 grams skinless chicken breast fillets
    • 8 ounce / 225 grams raw shelled frozen prawns (shrimp)
    • 2 medium onions about 8 ounces or 225g
    • 16 - 20 fresh or canned lychees
    • 2 cups tomato passata
    • 1 cup Greek yoghurt
    • 2 tablespoons ground almonds
    • 2 tablespoons flaked almonds
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
    • 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch) seasoned with ½teaspoon salt
    • 3 tablespoons sunflower oil for frying

    Spices

    • 2 teaspoons garam masala
    • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric
    • ½ to 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes adjust according to your taste
    • 1 teaspoon crushed garlic or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
    • ½ teaspoon crushed ginger or ½" piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
    • 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    Preparation

    • Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and coat in the cornflour seasoned with ½teaspoon salt.
      12 ounce / 340 grams skinless chicken breast fillets, 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
    • Measure all the spices (including the cornflour) into a small bowl.
      2 teaspoons garam masala, 2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½ to 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, ½ teaspoon crushed ginger, 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch), salt
    • Peel the onions and cut into ½-inch dice.
      2 medium onions
    • If you are using fresh lychees, peel them and discard the inner pip.

    Fry the prawns and chicken

    • Heat 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in a frying pan on a gentle heat, and stirfry the prawns for about 4 minutes until they turn pink and are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
      3 tablespoons sunflower oil, 8 ounce / 225 grams raw shelled frozen prawns (shrimp)
    • Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and stirfry the chicken until it is browned all over and cooked through. This should take about 5 minutes. Cut a piece in half to make sure it is completely white or test the temperature - it should have an internal temperature of 74°C/164°F once cooked.
    • Transfer the chicken to the plate with the prawns.

    Make the sauce

    • Add the third tablespoon of oil to the pan (if necessary) and fry the onions until they start to turn translucent. This will take about 5 minutes.
    • Remove the onions from the heat and stir in the spices, then return to the heat and stirfry for another 2 minutes. Keep the heat turned down low so that the spices do not burn.
    • Now stir in the tomato passata, the yoghurt and the ground and flaked almonds and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat.
      2 cups tomato passata, 1 cup Greek yoghurt, 2 tablespoons ground almonds, 2 tablespoons flaked almonds

    Assemble the dish

    • Return the prawns and chicken to the pan and add the lychees.
      16 - 20 fresh or canned lychees
    • Finally, stir in the finely chopped fresh coriander, return the pan to the heat and bring back to the boil.
      2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
    • Serve immediately with white rice and buttery garlic naan bread.

    Notes

    I have allowed 5 oz (120g) protein (chicken and prawns) per person.  If you feel this is too much for your family's appetite, adjust the quantities to suit.
    If you prefer a thinner sauce, stir in a cup of coconut milk with the passata.  You can also add one or two teaspoons (to taste) of desiccated coconut.
    Nutrition - the nutrition has been calculated for the curry only and excludes any sides.

    Nutrition

    Calories - 508kcal | Carbohydrates - 28.9g | Protein - 40.7g | Fat - 25.7g | Saturated Fat - 6.8g | Cholesterol - 173mg | Sodium - 479mg | Potassium - 648mg | Fiber - 3.2g | Sugar - 15.6g | Calcium - 156mg | Iron - 2mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

    Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
    All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
    Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I'd love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
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    About VJ

    Before I started my food blog I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, mostly made from scratch, using everyday pantry ingredients.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.84 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    1. Richard

      March 25, 2021 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks, I made this and it was amazing! Chicken and prawn curry is not common and this reminds me of somewhere in Durban that made it years ago. My son awarded it a "Feel Free", as in ".. Feel Free to make this again..."

      Reply
      • VJ

        March 25, 2021 at 3:52 pm

        Hi Richard
        I'm so please you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie

      February 01, 2021 at 6:20 pm

      5 stars
      Sounds delicious... and intriguing. I'm not sure I've ever had lychees in a curry before! Eb 🙂

      Reply
      • VJ

        February 02, 2021 at 8:08 am

        You should try it - the lychees are delicious. Even hubby (who is strictly a meat and 2 veg man) suggested we have the leftovers the next day!!!!!

        Reply
    3. Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist

      January 26, 2021 at 4:45 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely adore a curry and this had my mouth watering in an instant. I love that it is both chicken and prawn too... It totally takes the stress out of choosing! xx

      Reply
      • VJ

        January 26, 2021 at 4:53 pm

        Absolutely!!!!

        Reply

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