Bhutte ka kees with prawns

This recipe comes from winemaker Corlea Fourie. It’s like a spicy, corn porridge which she and her husband Bertus serve with grilled prawns as part of a braai (barbecue)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 3-4 (multiply as needed)

Ingredients:

• 3 large corn cobs
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger piece grated
• Pinch of asafoetida
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• grated fresh coconut for garnishing
• Salt to taste

12 large raw shell and head-on prawns

Method:

1. Remove the husk from the corn cobs and grate the kernels or cut them off with a sharp knife and pulse them in a food processor. (You could also use frozen corn.)
2. Heat the ghee in a cast iron pan on medium flame. Add mustard seeds to it. Once the seeds splutter, add the cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. Next tip in the green chilies and grated ginger. Sauté for few seconds. Now move to cooler coals and add asafoetida and turmeric powder.
3. Add the grated or chopped corn along with their milk, if any. Mix well and stir-fry the corn mixture on low flame for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add coconut milk to the corn mixture followed by salt and sugar. Mix well and cover the cooking mixture for 15-20 minutes. Keep stirring the mixture in between to ensure the mixture has the right consistency.
5. Lastly, add lemon juice to the bhutte ka kees and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves and grated coconut.
6. Brush or spray the shell-on prawns lightly with oil and grill then on the barbecue for about 4-5 minutes until pink, turning them half way through*. Place them on top of the bhutte ka Kees to serve. Garnish each plate with fresh coriander leaves and grated coconut.

*you could also cook them in a wok

What to drink: Corlea suggests an orange wine, their 2019 Fides skin contact grenache blanc which you can buy from Woodwinters. An old vine chenin blanc or chardonnay would work well too.

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