In a mixing bowl, combine salt, turmeric and mustard oil. Add the cleaned prawn and gently massage the marinade in. Set aside while preparing the other ingredients.
Heat up oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the prawn on each side for no more than 30 seconds.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same skillet, heat up the ghee along with any remaining oil. Once the ghee has melted, bloom the whole spices - bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and dried red chillies, making sure not to burn them.
Add the onion paste and the sugar, then stir fry until it turns to a translucent colour. The sugar enhances the flavour of the onion as well as helps it caramelize.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.
Once the raw smell of the onion-ginger-garlic has completely dissipated, add the chopped tomatoes and combine well. Then add the ground spices and continue sautéing until the water has evaporated and the oil starts to separate and pool on the side, like in the picture.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the green chilies and coconut cream and combine well. Let the gravy reduce just slightly, where it becomes a little thicker.
Add the prawns that were set aside, along with all the drippings, back into the pan and coat them well with the gravy. Sautee for a couple of minutes, making sure not to burn the bottom - allow the gravy to infuse with the prawn, where they start to absorb all the flavours of the aromatics and spices inside as it cooks. Remember, we only seared the outside to develop flavours, but the inside is still slightly uncooked.
Once the prawn is well-coated, add the coconut milk and remaining spices, combine everything well. Lower the heat to low and allow the prawn to bubble gently in the gravy for another 5 to 8 minutes.
When the gravy is to your liking and the prawn is just perfectly cooked (do not overcook), taste for salt and add more if necessary. (We found it just a wee bit too salty. The recipe reflects the salt cut down where sprinkled on the shrimp.)
You may garnish the prawn with more roasted cumin powder and green chilies.
Enjoy it with a steaming plate of (short to medium grain) rice of your choice.
