Prawn Pickle

Clean the prawns thoroughly, remove the dark vein, and wash them with a little salt and turmeric to remove the smell.

Pat the prawns completely dry; any moisture will cause the pickle to spoil rapidly within days.

Heat mustard oil in a pan and fry the prawns on medium heat until they are firm and have lost their translucency.

Remove the fried prawns and in the same oil, add cumin seeds, hing, and curry leaves until aromatic.

Incorporate the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 5 minutes until it turns a light golden-brown color.

Stir in the red chili powder and turmeric, mixing well with the aromatic oil base on low heat.

Add the salt and half of the vinegar to form a thick, bubbling spicy pickling gravy.

Add the fried prawns back into the pan and toss gently to coat them evenly with the spicy masala.

Pour in the remaining vinegar and simmer for another 5-7 minutes until the gravy is glossy and concentrated.

Cool the prawn pickle to room temperature before transferring it into a sterilized airtight glass jar.