These tandoori prawns or tandoori shrimp masala get done in less than 15 minutes. Creamy, tangy, and a little spicy. Perfect over steamed rice, chapati, or roti.
Indulge in the rich flavors of tandoori masala paired with succulent prawns or shrimps for a culinary experience like no other! This classic Indian spice blend, known for its aromatic and smoky profile, elevates the natural sweetness of seafood, creating a harmony of flavors that is simply irresistible.
Perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight dinner, tandoori prawns or shrimps are sure to impress with their bold flavors and tender texture. So, why wait? Spice up your seafood game with tandoori masala and savor the delicious fusion of flavors!
Why make tandoori prawns?
- This is a very simple and easy recipe. You only need prawns, curry powder, and a few other pantry staples.
- This is a delicious dish. And you can also control the level of spiciness with your choice of chili pepper. Or, you can also use sweet paprika instead.
- As you can see in the recipe below, I have given you two recipes. You can make this with prawns or shrimp.
- When I have large-sized prawns, I like to make grilled tandoori prawns on the BBQ or stovetop cast-iron skillet.
- If you use shrimp, I highly recommend making the tandoori shrimp masala so you don’t have to grill small shrimp. And the sauce is delicious.
- This is a very typical tandoori paste you can use to make tandoori fish, or chicken tandoori too.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Seafood – I’ve used medium-to-large prawns for grilling, but I use shrimp for the sauce. The marinade makes a nice little gravy that is absolutely delicious over rice.
- Tandoori color – On a regular day, I do not use any tandoori color for my family. However, I served these to some guests and thought it made sense to show off the pretty color. The color does not add any taste or flavor, so it’s best not to use it.
- Indian spices – Coriander, cumin, and turmeric are the most common spices used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking and are readily available in most supermarkets these days.
- Ginger and garlic – For the grill marinade, I use mostly powders so they don’t burn easily on the fire, but for the shrimp masala, I use fresh garlic cloves and fresh ginger.
- Yogurt – Thick Greek yogurt works best for this, or the marinade will not stick to the prawns or shrimp.
Step-by-step: Tandoori prawns or shrimp masala
- Prep – Clean and devein prawns or shrimps. Drain the prawns well and pat them dry.
Pro tip – I leave the tails on because they look aesthetic, but you can take them off as well.
Prawns tandoori
- Marinate – Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and combine well. Add prawns to the marinade and coat them well. Leave the prawns to marinate for an hour on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge.
Pro tip – You can also thread the large prawns on a skewer and cook them on the BBQ or stovetop skillet. - Grill – Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the marinated prawns along with the marinade. Cook on medium heat, stirring so it does not stick to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring, until the prawns turn light pink.
Pro tip – Prawns cook fairly quickly, 8 to 10 minutes. When the prawns are cooked, add the butter and sprinkle with fresh coriander.
Shrimp tandoori masala
- Marinate – Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and combine well. Add the shrimp to the marinade and coat them well. Leave them to marinate for an hour on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge.
- This works better when you have small shrimps instead of prawns
- In a pan over medium heat, add the butter and all the prawns/shrimps along with the marinade.
- Cook on medium heat, stirring so it does not stick to the pan.
- Add 1/4 cup of water and bring to a boil.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro.
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Frequently asked questions
This dish will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
There is so much you can serve with this dish. For example, Indian Naan or garlic naan, Chapati, Sweet potato chapati, steamed rice, vegetable rice, or try my Rice pilaf with fruit and nuts.
You serve a side of veggies such as spiced potatoes and mushrooms masala. Or, try Black beans curry, Black Beans Coconut Curry
Spicy Indian Eggplant Pickle, Channa Masala – Chickpea Curry
Kidney beans coconut curry.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) Shrimp
- ¼ tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder
- ½ tsp Cummin powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Ginger powder
- ½ tsp Garam masala
- ⅙ tsp Tandoori food color orange or red, optional
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 lb (450 g) Prawns 12 large prawns
- ½ cup (120 ml) Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp Fresh garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh ginger grated
- 1 tsp Sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder
- ½ tsp Cumin powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- ½ tsp Kosher salt as per taste
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- ⅛ tsp Tandoori food color orange and red, optional
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- 2 tbsp Butter unsalted
- 2 tbsp Cilantro chopped for garnish
Method
- Prep – Clean and devein prawns or shrimps. Drain the prawns well and pat them dry.
- Marinate – Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and combine well. Add prawns to the marinade and coat them well. Leave the prawns to marinate for an hour on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge.
- Grill – Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the marinated prawns along with the marinade. Cook on medium heat, stirring so it does not stick to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring, until prawns change color to light pink.
- Marinate – Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and combine well. Add the shrimp to the marinade and coat them well. Leave them to marinate for an hour on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge.
- This works better when you have small shrimps instead of prawns. – In a pan over medium heat, add the butter, the prawns/shrimps, and the marinade. – Cook on medium heat, stirring so it does not stick to the pan. – Add 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. – Taste and adjust seasoning. – Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Clean the prawns and shrimps well. Remove the vein and shell the body, leaving the heads. Remove the whole head and body shell of the shrimps.
- For the grilled prawns, we use less marinade so it does not burn on the grill, but for the shrimps, we use more marinade to make a delicious gravy.
- Marinate the chicken for as long as possible but no longer than 12 hours.
- Do not use aluminum or copper for marinating as the lemon in the marinade can react with the metal and give the chicken a metallic taste.
- Use Greek yogurt for the marinade; low-fat yogurts will not stick to the chicken.
- Non-dairy tandoori – Traditionally, tandoori is made with yogurt. If you choose to make this recipe dairy-free, you have two choices: either you omit the yogurt or you use a non-dairy yogurt, such as coconut yogurt. The rest of the ingredients and measurements will remain the same.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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Hi, I’m Veena
I’m the recipe developer, baker, and food photographer behind Veena Azmanov Kitchen.
I’ve spent years developing and testing recipes, from everyday meals and homemade breads to cakes and desserts.
I share the practical tips and little details I’ve learned along the way so you can get great results in your own kitchen.
I made these yesterday. So tasty. My whole family really enjoyed it very much. I made with fish and prawns mixed
Thank you, Abdul. yes, very tasty. So happy you enjoyed them. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
Looks delish! Will definitely try after Diwali! Thanks for sharing
xo Ros
Thanks, Ros
I love all the flavor in this dish! I usually go for chicken and think it’s time to switch things up a bit because this sounds amazing!
Thank you, Lauren. You will enjoy this.
This looks scrumptious! I have most of those pantry ingredients always on hand…and I love to treat myself to prawns. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I hope you try it, Traci. Thanks
Veena, these prawns looks delicious! I especially want to try them with your popular homemade naan bread. The ingredients you talk about are so rich in their flavours and with a good piece of naan, you would be able to scoop up all of the flavours, it sounds delicious! Cheers
Thank you, Adrianne. Yes, you must try the naan. you will love it.
These look scrumptious. I love discovering new shrimp recipes.
Thanks Kallee
This looks delicious, I love tandoori flavors and prawns always good too.
Thank you Caroline