“Goan” Shrimp Curry

This recipe was inspired by Madhur Jaffrey and the original can be found in her book Madhur Jaffrey 100 Weeknight Curries.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt to taste
• 3 Tbsp oil (any neutral oil, coconut oil or peanut oil)
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 large shallot, chopped fine
• 3-4 cloves garlic chopped fine
• 1 14-15 oz can of coconut milk, well stirred
• * 1 lb Shrimp, peeled and de-veined, rinsed and patted dry
• 1-2 Tbsp chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

Method

1. Place chili powder, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin, lemon juice, salt and 3 oz water in a bowl. Mix well to form a smooth paste (add a bit more water if it is too thick) And set aside.
2. Heat a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add mustard seeds. Once seeds begin to splutter, add shallot and garlic. Stir mixture until aromatics are lightly browned.
3. Stir in spice paste, bring mixture to a simmer. Turn heat to medium low, cover pot and allow the spices to simmer gently for 10 minutes. Be sure to check on it to make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom.
4. After 10 minutes, remove cover, add coconut milk and shrimp. Increase heat to medium-high, and once sauce is bubbling, turn heat back to low. Simmer uncovered until shrimp turns opaque.
5. Once shrimp has cooked, taste to check seasonings. Add cilantro and mix through.
6. Serve warm with rice or warm Indian bread – and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired,

A quick note on the shrimp. Living inland and not having access to fresh shrimp, I buy my shrimp from either Whole Foods or Costco. I generally use frozen – but if you have access to fresh shrimp, go for it!