This prawn balti is a spicy, aromatic curry featuring tender king prawns in a tomato-based sauce and a balanced blend of warm spices. Garnished with fresh coriander and served with boiled rice and toasted chapati, it’s tangy, lightly spiced and ready in about 25 minutes — perfect for a weeknight curry fix.
Traditionally served in individual balti bowls in restaurants, this version is cooked in a large pan to serve four. It’s a quick, medium-spiced prawn curry that’s full of flavour.
📋 Ingredients
I prefer ghee for curries, but any neutral oil works fine if you don’t have ghee on hand.
The spices
This balti uses a warming spice mix: cardamom, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, paprika, garam masala, cinnamon and a touch of hot chilli powder. Increase the chilli if you like more heat.
📺 Watch how to make it
Full recipe with step‑by‑step instructions is in the recipe card below.
- Sauté the chopped onion and peppers until they begin to soften.
- Add the spices and fry briefly until fragrant.
- Stir in the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and stock, then simmer to reduce slightly.
- Add the prawns and cook for 3–4 minutes until pink and cooked through, then finish with fresh coriander.
👩🍳PRO TIP Use large fresh king prawns, peeled and deveined, for the best texture and flavour.
🍽️ What to serve it with
This prawn balti is lovely with boiled basmati rice, a scatter of fresh chopped coriander and warm toasted chapati.
If you want extra sides to round out the meal, consider simple accompaniments such as onion fried rice, a fruity mango chutney, garlic naan or onion bhajis — they complement the curry and add variety to the plate.
I could happily finish a whole bowl of this prawn balti with a couple of warm toasted chapatis 😋
🍲 More fantastic Curry Recipes
Curries
Chicken Madras
Curries
Crock Pot Butter Chicken
Curries
Easy Keema Curry (Minced Beef Curry)
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Prawn Balti Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped into large chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 green chilli, thinly sliced
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp hot chilli powder (optional)
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 400 g (14 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 20–25 raw king prawns, deveined and peeled
To serve
- Fresh coriander (cilantro)
- Boiled rice
- Chapati
Instructions
- Heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan over medium‑high heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it just starts to soften.
- Add the red and green peppers, garlic, ginger, sliced chilli and cardamom pods. Fry for 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, paprika, garam masala, cinnamon, chilli powder and tomato puree. Mix well to coat the vegetables.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, chicken stock and chopped fresh tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.
- Add the prawns and cook for 3–4 minutes until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through.
- Serve immediately with boiled rice, chapati and a sprinkle of fresh coriander.
Video
Notes
Tip: You can use ready‑cooked king prawns — just heat them through for the same amount of time, ensuring they’re piping hot.
Nutritional information is approximate per serving (without rice or chapati) and should be used as a guide.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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