Shrimp Curry with Coconut Milk

Total Time:

40 mins

Yield:

4 servings

Shrimp curry combines creamy coconut milk, fresh curry leaves, warm spices, tomatoes, and shrimp for a weeknight one-pan meal. While it might be tempting to dump everything in at once, according to Food & Wine recipe developer Anna Theoktisto, the secret to this curry’s incredibly deep flavor in just 40 minutes is adding the ingredients in precise steps to maximize their potential. She begins by heating an invigorating combination of fresh curry leaves and aromatic spices in ghee, a step known as tempering or blooming that helps to release and enhance the flavors of the spices and infuses the ghee with flavor, too. Onion, ginger, garlic, and chile are added next, where just a few minutes of cook time lets them soften and begin to caramelize. Tomato, coconut milk, and tamarind paste follow, and the shrimp are added at the very end, which helps prevent overcooking so they’re just-cooked through and perfectly tender.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Kashmiri chile powder brings vibrant red color and mild heat to this shrimp curry recipe; find it at spicewallabrand.com.

Tamarind paste, made from the pulp of tamarind fruit diluted with water, brings a fruity, sweet-sour flavor to this curry. Tamarind paste can be purchased at most Indian and Asian grocery stores or online at ranibrand.com.

Curry leaves have a gorgeous, citrusy aroma. They are available at Indian grocery stores and on Etsy.

Frequently asked questions

How do I devein shrimp?

Use the tip of a knife to separate and remove the string-like vein. Repeat the process with the remaining shrimp, wiping the knife clean in between each shrimp.

How long should I cook the shrimp in shrimp curry?

Cook the shrimp until they’re just-cooked through and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes.

What should I serve with shrimp curry?

White rice is a satisfying accompaniment to shrimp curry with coconut milk. You can put rice into bowls and ladle the curry over top, put the rice to one side in a bowl and ladle the curry into the other side, or serve the curry and the rice in two separate bowls, depending on your preference.

What wine should I pair with shrimp curry?

Simi Grewal, of Decantsf in San Francisco, recommends a robust, complex white wine with shrimp curry, such as Cantine Madonna delle Grazie Leucònoe Aglianico Bianco, saying: “Shrimp curry is a little hot and sweet, with tamarind tang. I love a rounded white with it, like a Spanish Godello or a still Blanc de Noir style. It gives you the freshness of a white wine with the complexity and fruit of a light red wine.”

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons ghee
10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon Kashmir chile powder
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 (3 1/2-inch) serrano chile (unseeded), halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon grated garlic (about 3 large garlic cloves)
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger (about 1 [2-inch] piece)
2 medium tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoons tamarind paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined raw large shrimp, tail-on
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Cooked long-grain white rice, for serving

Directions

Melt ghee in a large skillet over medium-high. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, turmeric, and chile powder; cook, stirring constantly, until seeds begin to pop and splutter, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add onion and serrano chile; cook, stirring often, until onion softens, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger; cook, stirring often, until mixture begins to brown and stick to skillet, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from skillet, about 1 minute.
Stir in coconut milk, tamarind paste, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring often, until sauce thickens slightly, about 6 minutes. Add shrimp; cook, stirring often, until shrimp are opaque and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; garnish with cilantro, and serve with rice.

Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, September 2023