Let shrimp curry satisfy your taste buds
For me, every meal begins at the market — in this case, the fish market. The routine is always the same: Check what is on display, find the most fetching option and consider guests’ tastes (and the contents of my wallet). Take the plunge.
On a recent trip, I saw many attractive possibilities, but it was the wild Georgia shrimp, still in the shell, that caught my eye. With a little ingenuity, a pound of these beauties could feed a table of four. But how?
It would be easiest to toss them, unshelled, into a pot of boiling water, seasoned with plenty of salt and aromatics, then serve them with melted butter or a mayonnaise-based sauce for dipping, some crusty French bread or a few boiled potatoes.
For something fancier, I could peel and devein the raw shrimp and sauté them in butter. Add salt, pepper, tarragon, perhaps, a splash of white wine, and they are done in minutes. Serve with steamed rice.
I am also partial to spaghetti with shrimp. I cook the shrimp in extra-virgin olive oil, and, just before they are done, add a good dash of crushed red pepper and lots of chopped garlic and parsley. Then, I toss the whole lot with perfectly al dente pasta.
But maybe because it was a warm, sunny day, I made a relatively simple shrimp curry. For best results, I let the shrimp steep in spices for a bit, starting with a combination of salt and pepper, turmeric, cumin and coriander, and adding chilies and sweet-sour tamarind paste. Mushrooms, a natural pairing, also played a part. You can use whatever cultivated varieties you can find, whether button-type brown or white ones, pale gray or golden oyster mushrooms.
To put it all together, I used coconut oil and coconut milk. My Indian grocery had fresh curry leaves, so I added those to the pan, but the dish is fine without them. Mint and cilantro and lime wedges decorated the platter.
I was feeling lazy, so I bought a jar of bright green chutney, the saucy kind made from puréed mint, chilies and coriander, with a touch of sugar and coconut.
Coconut Shrimp Curry With Mushrooms
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled
and deveined
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 teaspoon grated garlic 1 teaspoon turmeric
1⁄2 teaspoon coriander seeds,
toasted and ground
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
and ground
1 tablespoon tamarind paste 1 serrano chili, finely diced Pinch of cayenne
2 tablespoons coconut oil
A few fresh curry leaves (optional) 6 ounces mushrooms, chopped 2 cups coconut milk, fresh or
canned
A few mint leaves and cilantro
leaves, for garnish
Lime wedges, for garnish
Put shrimp in a medium bowl, and season generously with salt and pepper. Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, coriander, cumin, tamarind paste, serrano chili and cayenne, and mix to coat well. Leave to marinate for 5-10 minutes.
Heat coconut oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add curry leaves, if using, and let them sputter, then add mushrooms and stir-fry gently for about 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook, stirring for 1-2 more minutes until shrimp have turned pink and mushrooms have softened.
Add coconut milk, and simmer for about 1 minute. Taste sauce, and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with mint and cilantro and serve, with lime wedges on the side.