Sungtam Uddamethi

Fresh prawns cooked in the Saraswat uddamethi style — urad dal and fenugreek seeds dry-roasted and ground with dried red chilli, tamarind, and grated coconut into a thick, earthy paste, the prawns added and cooked just until pink so they retain their sweetness against the slightly bitter, nutty lentil gravy. The prawn version of bangda udid methi is made when prawns are in season along the Konkan coast; the natural sweetness of fresh coastal prawns provides a striking contrast to the roasted-lentil depth of the gravy. A festival and celebration preparation in Saraswat households of Goa, coastal Karnataka, and coastal Maharashtra.