Kerala Shrimp Curry Recipes

KERALA PRAWN CURRY

Steps:

• In a food processor, blitz the chillies, onion and ginger with 3 tbsp water into a smoothish paste - you may need to scrape it down the sides.
• Heat the oil in a heavy pan or wok. When hot, toss in the mustard and fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves - they'll crackle and pop - and fry for 10 seconds. Add the onion paste, turn the heat down a tad and cook without colouring for about 5 minutes. Splash in some water if it starts to catch.
• Add the turmeric and cracked peppercorns and stir the spices around for a few seconds before tipping in the prawns. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer, stirring all the time. The milk will take on a yellow colour from the turmeric. Cook for 1 minute until everything's heated through. Squeeze over some lime, sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve with rice.

KERALA SHRIMP CURRY

Steps:

• Rinse shrimp. Place in a medium bowl, add turmeric, chili power, salt and lime juice; stir well and set aside to marinate.
• Meanwhile, chope tamarind pulp coarsely and place in a bowl. Pour in boiling water and mash tamarind a little with a fork. Set aside to soak for about 10 minutes.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan or wok, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until a pale golden colour - about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Add mustard seeds (they may pop or sputter) and cook for 30 seconds. Add funugreek seeds and tomatoes and stir well. Add garlic, ginger, green chiles, curry leaves, turmeric, coriander and red chile powder. Cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, then add coconut milk and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile strain tamarind mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl. Using a wooden spoon, press tamarind pulp against mesh of sieve to extract as much liquid as possible. Set aside liquid and discard pulp.
• Stir 3 T of the tamarind liquid into simmering curry. Taste, and then adjust the balance of flavours if you wish by adding more tamarind liquid and/or salt.
• Shortly before you wish to serve, add shrimp and any remaining marinade to curry and cook until shrimp has just changed colour, about 3 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with plain rice and lime wedges.