Guest blogger Maya reports great success with this family recipe – however, she warns that you *really* need to take your time with this, especially taking care to cook slowly and not let things burn. Indian cuisine, she reminds us, requires constant attention and no multi-tasking.

This is why it’s her recipe, not mine.   😉

The Shrimp:

• 1 – 1.5 pounds large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined.

The Marinade:

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground peppercorns
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)

To make the marinade, place all of the ingredients in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Add the shrimp, toss to coat, and refrigerate.

The Sauce:

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup canola oil (don’t use olive oil – flavor is too strong)
• 24 curry leaves, roughly torn (optional)
• 4 dried red chiles
• 1 teaspoon ground peppercorns
• A 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes (OR 4 chopped salad tomatoes)
• 1 teaspoon Sambhaar powder, or 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 can of full fat coconut milk
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

Set 1/2 cup of water next to the stovetop. Heat the oil with the curry leaves (if using) and chiles in a medium pot over medium-high heat until the curry leaves start to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ground peppercorns and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the ginger, onion, and salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is browned, about 8 minutes, sprinkling with water and stirring whenever the onion and ginger begin to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Add the garlic, coriander, and turmeric and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomatoes to the pot. Cook, stirring and scraping the browned bits up from the sides and bottom of the pot, for 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium high and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. [if using fresh chopped tomatoes instead of canned, will take a bit longer than 5 minutes to cook it down. Use really high heat and stir often, adding 1/2 cup water if it gets too dry.]

Stir in the Sambhaar and cook for 1 minute, and then pour in the coconut milk. Bring to a boil and add the shrimp and any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are curled and opaque, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and enjoy!

———-

– MAW