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Goan · Indian

Kismur

Non-vegetarian

किस्मूर · kismūr

Dry-roasted dried prawns tossed with onion, fresh coconut, chilli and a little tamarind — a punchy, crunchy Goan side salad eaten with fish curry and rice.

Kismur is a Goan salad from India, ready in about 20 minutes and made with dried shrimp, onion and coconut. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
10 min
Total
20 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
136

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Pick over the dried prawns (opens in a new tab), removing heads, legs and any grit. Dry-roast them in a pan, stirring, until crisp and fragrant.

  2. Step 2

    Tip the prawns out, add the oil to the pan and soften the onion (opens in a new tab) with the chilli powder and turmeric (opens in a new tab) for 2–3 minutes; it should stay a little crunchy.

    • 3 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Lift the pan off the burner. Mix in the tamarind, coconut (opens in a new tab), roasted prawns and salt, rubbing the mixture with your fingertips so the coconut takes on the colour. Finish with coriander.

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
Goa, India · Commonly attributedAlso made along the Konkan coast of Maharashtra and Karnataka.More food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Salads · Side dishes
Cooking method
Toasted, Sautéed
Taste
umami, salty, spicy (chilli heat), tangy, smoky
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Dried shrimp · Onion · Coconut · Coconut oil · Kashmiri chilli powder · Tamarind paste
Techniques
Toasting · Sautéing · Spice roasting (dry-roasting)

Allergens

  • Contains: Crustaceansfrom dried shrimp

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

136 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 61 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 25%
  • Carbohydrate 18%
  • Fat 57%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy136 kcal223 kcal
Protein8.8 g14.4 g
Carbohydrate6.1 g10 g
Net carbohydrate4 g6.6 g
Sugars2.7 g4.5 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.1 g3.4 g
Fat8.8 g14.5 g
Saturated fat7.3 g12.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol19 mg31 mg
Sodium1029 mg1692 mg
Salt equivalent2.6 g4.2 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
298 mg
Calcium
31 mg
Iron
0.9 mg
Magnesium
27 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
19 µg
Vitamin C
3 mg
Vitamin D
0.5 µg
Vitamin B12
1.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
13 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: turmeric, coriander leaves.
  • Dried shrimp: Dried salted cod (FDC 174190) used as a stand-in: both are dried, very protein-dense seafood; no dried-shrimp entry exists in FDC SR Legacy.
  • Kashmiri chilli powder: Paprika (FDC 171329) used as a stand-in: Kashmiri chilli is a mild, deep-red chilli powder used mainly for colour.
  • Tamarind paste: Raw tamarind pulp (FDC 167763). Commercial concentrates vary in water content.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Some cooks keep the onion completely raw for a sharper kismur; others fry it longer. Both are authentic.

Common mistakes

  • Over-roasting the prawns — they turn bitter quickly once golden.

Serve with

  • Serve a spoonful with Goan fish curry and rice, or with pez (rice kanji).

Food safety

  • Contains shellfish.
  • Store dried prawns airtight in a cool, dry place (or the fridge) and discard any that smell rancid or musty.
  • Roast the dried prawns thoroughly before mixing them in.

Storage

  • Keeps 1 day refrigerated because of the fresh coconut.

Variations

  • Bombil kismur: Made with dried Bombay duck, roasted and shredded.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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