1
Saute Aromatics
Heat olive oil in a wide pan. Saute onion, garlic, and ginger until soft and fragrant.
Saute
08:00
Mozambique | Main dish
Caril de Camarao
Mozambican caril de camarão, prawns simmered briefly in coconut milk, tomato, curry spice, garlic, ginger, and piri-piri.
Country
Mozambique
Region
East Africa
Time
50 min
Serves
4
Level
easy
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
The sauce can take its time, but the prawns cannot. Build the curry first, then add seafood at the end and stop as soon as it curls.
What the dish tastes like
Mozambican caril de camarão, prawns simmered briefly in coconut milk, tomato, curry spice, garlic, ginger, and piri-piri.
When to cook it
Best for everyday meals, with a easy cooking level and about 50 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
White rice, xima, lemon wedges, or simple tomato salad
Regional lane
Mozambique national table. A verified Mozambique dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
- Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.
- Cooking on heat that is too high once the dish should be steaming or simmering.
How you know it is ready
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
- The final texture should match the dish style before you plate it.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Caril de Camarao
White rice, xima, lemon wedges, or simple tomato salad
Best route from here
Mozambique national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
5 steps
50 min total
easy
2
Build Sauce
Add curry powder, turmeric, and chili. Stir for 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down into a sauce.
Toast the spices briefly before adding tomatoes to deepen their flavor.
Cook tomatoes
10:00
3
Add Coconut Milk
Pour in coconut milk and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
Simmer
05:00
4
Cook Prawns
Add prawns to the sauce in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and curled. Do not overcook.
Prawns cook quickly — remove from heat as soon as they turn pink to keep them tender.
Cook prawns
06:00
5
Serve
Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve over steamed rice or with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
This curry is best served immediately — prawns toughen if left sitting in hot sauce.
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.