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Misa mach poora
Misa mach poora: Mizo prawns with ginger and chilli, grilled in banana leaf
Misa mach poora is a simple Mizo way with river prawns: rubbed with ginger, garlic, chilli and salt, wrapped in banana leaf and cooked over embers until the leaf chars and the prawns steam in their own juices. It is made at riverside picnics and family cookouts and eaten with rice and a chilli relish. The common mistake is overcooking, which makes prawns tough; they are done the moment they turn opaque and pink all through. Chef's tip: keep the marinated parcels in the fridge until the grill is hot.
- Total time
- 27 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the prawns
- 1 ⅛ lb raw prawnspeeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp gingergrated
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- 3 green chilliesfinely chopped
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp mustard oil
- 4 banana leaves25 cm squares, softened over a flame
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅛ lb raw prawns with 1 tbsp ginger, 3 garlic cloves, 3 green chillies, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ¾ tsp salt and 1 tbsp mustard oil. Cover and keep in the fridge while the grill heats.
10 minStep 2: Heat a grill, barbecue or heavy griddle over medium-high heat.
5 minStep 3: Divide the prawns between the 4 banana leaves squares and fold into tight parcels; secure with toothpicks.
3 minStep 4: Cook the parcels 5–6 minutes per side, until the leaf is charred and the prawns are pink and opaque all the way through.
12 minStep 5: Open at the table and scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does misa mach poora take?
- About 27 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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