Indian Coconut Curry Shrimp – Fast, Easy, and Simple

I’m obsessed with this dish – I have been for years. It’s simple, fast, delicious, and nutritious. A co-worker of mine gave me a recipe card for a coconut curry recipe, hmm, had to be over 5 years ago. I remember making it for the first time and substituting spices in and out depending on if I had them or not. And loving the finished product. It’s sweet, savory, spicy, tangy – all perfect components for a curry dish.

First things first – here’s what you’ll need.

Let’s talk onions. Confession: I used to 100% loathe onions. Until Indian food. I know, you’re thinking – what? Liar. ha. Well – it’s true. I absolutely hated anything that I could see onions in. Back in college my friends and I had an “Iron Chef Cookoff” and the secret ingredient was eggs – the person I was partnered with and I made an amazing omelet and I can’t really remember what else – but it was awesome. Not nearly as awesome as what my opponents made – an egg curry. That’s the day I first ate Indian food and realized I loved it – and that Indian curry’s use a base of onions – therefore…..I didn’t hate onions anymore! Such an epiphany!

For this dish you’ll need one good size onion – cut it into a small dice. Like this:

Saute the onions in canola oil – I forgot to include the oil in the picture – but I recommend using canola oil over olive oil because the olive oil has too much flavor to it – you want an oil without flavor.

After about 5 minutes the onions will begin to soften and color slightly. You don’t want them to brown – just become tender. Once tender, add in the ginger/garlic paste and all the spices – plus salt and pepper. Check out the beautiful colors of the spices – I’m obsessed!

Cook the spices for about 1 minute – by cooking them I mean just stir together with the onions and ginger and garlic. By heating the spices your opening up the aromas.

Add in the shrimp. Ah, so pretty!

Then add in the coconut milk. Stir and allow the shrimp to cook over a simmer – which won’t take long at all. I let it cook for about 4 minutes – that’s it! You really don’t want to overcook your shrimp – there’s nothing worse than rubbery shrimp.

The sauce is magnificent – so creamy, sweet, and spicy. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed – also note: I included a Truvia packet in the picture of ingredients but did not end up needing to use it because I thought the sauce was sweet enough. Taste and if you think it needs additional sweetness – add the sugar when you add the coconut milk. To finish, sprinkle over a touch of lemon juice.

Serve over basmati rice (cooked per instructions on packages) and sprinkle over cilantro. The dish is very saucy – so if you want….throw some naan in there as well. Or just eat it like I did – by itself – which is just as amazing.

Enjoy!

Coconut Curry Shrimp
Serves 4

Click here for recipe.

Ingredients:
2 lb. shrimp – peeled and deveined
1 can light coconut milk
1 large onion, diced
2 t. canola oil
1.5 T. ginger garlic paste (or 4 garlic cloves and 1″ piece of ginger chopped)
1 t. cumin
1 t. coriander
1 t. turmeric
1 t. garam masala
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cayenne
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. lemon juice
Basmati Rice
Cilantro for sprinkling on top

Directions:

1. Dice onion into small pieces, saute in the canola oil for 5 minutes seasoning with salt and pepper.
2. Add in all spices and ginger garlic paste. Heat up for 1 minute until just cooked through and all the onions are coated in the spices.
3. Add in the shrimp – stir to coat with the spices – then add in the entire can of coconut milk. Sprinkle in more salt and pepper.
4. Allow shrimp to simmer over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes – or until cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
5. Taste sauce – add in 1 Truvia package or 1 T. sugar if you believe sauce needs to be sweeter.
6. Sprinkle over 1 t. of lemon juice into the coconut shrimp curry mixture.
7. Serve on top of basmati rice with cilantro leaves sprinkled on top.

Enjoy