Name: Shrimp Dhansak
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegetable oil / ghee (or low calorie cooking spray); 4 green cardamom pods (lightly crushed); 2 tsp mustard seeds; 2 tsp mild curry powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 medum onions (peeled and finely diced); 1 green chili (finely diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tbsp fresh ginger (peeled and finely diced); 1 tbsp light brown sugar (or sweetener for SW version (optional)); 1 cup (200g) split red lentils (rinsed); 1 tbsp tomato paste; 14 oz (400g) crushed tomatoes (canned, or 3 chopped fresh tomatoes); 14 oz (400g) canned pineapple chunks in juice (or fresh pineapple (optional)); 2 ½ cups (650ml) vegetable stock (or as needed); 1 lb (450g) jumbo shrimp (or prawns); 2 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro ((= corinader) chopped, to garnish); 2 pinches red pepper flakes (to garnish)

Love curries? Try my Lamb Dhansak and Chicken Jalfrezi!

Comfort food that’s good for you AND diet friendly? Look no further than this prawn curry recipe! Prawn Dhansak hits all the right notes: filling but healthy, quick and suitable for Slimming World too.

Red lentil based curries are brilliant for weekday meals as they cook really quick. Dhansak curries can be made with red meat, chicken or prawns and this version is probably the quickest, ready in just 30 minutes.

Dhansak Ingredients

Raw king prawns (shrimp) defrosted
Onions and garlic
Green chillies, finely diced
Fresh ginger, very finely grated using a Microplane
Spices: mustard seeds, cardamom pods, mild curry powder, turmeric, cinnamon, chilli powder
Tomatoes: you can use fresh diced tomatoes or tinned chopped tomatoes and tomato paste
Red lentils: always rinse before using
Pineapple: I used to add pineapple chunks in this Dhansak as my kids loved them. You can use or not, up to you!

How to Defrost Prawns

You can use raw or frozen prawns in this simple curry recipe, I usually prefer frozen ones as they are just a little bit cheaper and easier to source. Most raw prawns you find in supermarkets have been frozen first after all, even if they are on sale as ‘fresh’. Note this if you are planning to freeze this recipe: you can only freeze it if you are using FRESH prawns or shrimp.

Luckily frozen prawns are easy and quick to defrost – simply place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Stir the prawns, drain the water and repeat a couple of times. Leave for up to 10 minutes then drain and use.

By the way if you are asking yourself if prawns and shrimp are the same thing they are, technically, slightly different. Fear not if you wanted to make a shrimp curry you are in the right place. You can use large (sometimes called jumbo) prawns or shrimp in this recipe.

Table set with a bowl of shrimp curry garnished with fresh cilantro

A Slimming Friendly Curry

This curry is suitable for Slimming World with very minor modifications – using cooking spray such as Fry Light instead of oil, sweetener instead of sugar and fresh pineapple instead of tinned, if you are using it at all.

Not only is this curry FREE, it’s also very filling and satisfying. Make a large batch so you can enjoy the leftovers, it tastes even better the following day. Serve over brown rice to up the fibre content!

How to Make Dhansak

Take a look at this step by step tutorial – plas note you will find the full recipe, including ingredients in the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1. Heat the oil* (or use ghee for a more authentic version) in a large pan. Fry the spices, ginger and chillies for a couple of minutes over medium-high heat until the mustard seeds start to pop. Take care the spices don’t burn.
* If you are making a slimming curry you can dry fry the spices in a non-stick pan instead and use low calorie cooking spray (Fry Light) to cook the onions.

Frying spices for Indian curry in a large casserole

STEP 2. Lower the heat and add the chopped onions. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring to coat in the fragrant spices, until softened.

STEP 3. Add the ginger, garlic, bay leaves and chillies and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring.

Adding ginger garlic and chillies to prawn dhansak curry

STEP 4. Add the red lentils and stir. Add the stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, pineapple (if using), and sugar or sweetener.

STEP 5. Bring to the boil. Lower the heat, partially cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are quite soft – about 20 minutes.

Collage pin showing how to make Indian shrimp curry step by step

STEP 6. Add the prawns and lemon juice and stir them in. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Check if you need to top up with water if the pan is too dry and food is sticking.

STEP 7. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed. Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) and red chilli flakes. Serve over basmati rice or simply on its own.

Bowl of Dhansak against a rustic dark background

Tips and FAQs

What to serve with Prawn Dhansak: serve your curry over pilau rice with a little Greek yogurt and my Easy Two Ingredient Yogurt Flatbreads.
How long can I keep in the fridge? cool the curry completely and store in the fridge for up to three days. You might need to add a little water when reheating as the curry is quite thick.

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