Prawn Jalfrezi (King Prawn Jalfrezi)
A fiery stir fried curry of king prawns, peppers and onion in a tangy tomato sauce, ready in 25 minutes.
Made with Curry base sauce (onion and tomato). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.45 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a high heat. Add the onion and both peppers and stir fry for 4 minutes so they colour at the edges but keep some bite.
4 min - 2
Add the garlic and green chillies and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute more.
1 min - 3
Pour in your ready made curry base sauce (see the base recipe). Bring to a simmer and cook for 6 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
6 min - 4
Add the prawns and the salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until they are pink all over and curled into a loose C shape.
3 min 30 s - 5
Squeeze in the lime juice, scatter over the fresh coriander and serve straight away with rice.
Tips
- Keep the vegetables chunky. A jalfrezi is meant to have peppers and onions with a little crunch left.
- Do not add the prawns early. They go rubbery in more than about 4 minutes, so they go in last.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Cool leftovers within 1 hour, keep in the fridge for up to 1 day and reheat until steaming hot all the way through. Do not freeze cooked prawn curry.
Questions
Can I use cooked prawns?
Yes. Stir cooked peeled prawns into the sauce at the very end and heat for just 1 to 2 minutes until hot. Longer will toughen them.
What makes it a jalfrezi?
Fried peppers, onions and green chillies in a thick tomato sauce. The vegetables are stir fried first and stay in recognisable pieces.
More made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Lamb Achari (Pickle Spiced Lamb Curry)
GFDFEFPrawn Dhansak (Parsi Prawn and Lentil Curry)
DFEFNFChicken Vindaloo, Curry House Style
DFEFNFBeef Jalfrezi with Peppers and Green Chillies
DFEFNFSee every dish made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
