SERVES 4
This spicy and tangy shrimp curry gets its name from the town of Malvan located in Sindhdurg district on the west coast of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Since it is a coastal town, it is not surprising that it is known for its seafood dishes. Central to the cooking from this region is the spicy Malvani masala paste described in this recipe. Even though I have used shrimp in this curry, you can also use fish such as pomfret, Indian salmon and mackerel or even halibut and seabass. Enjoy with bowl of hot steamed rice.
1½ lb shrimp (about 22-24 medium sized shrimp), shelled and deveined. You can also use fish such as pomfret, Indian salmon, halibut or seabass
2 tsp salt, adjust to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chili powder
3 dried red chilies, byadgi chilies or any other hot red chilies
3 dried red chilies, Kashmiri chilies or any other mild red chilies. If you want to kick up the spice level, use 3 more Bydagi chilies instead of the Kashmiri chilies
1 tsp rice
8-10 black peppercorns
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
½ medium onion, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp asafetida
4 kokum (garcina indica) petals
2 tsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 In a mixing bowl, sprinkle the turmeric powder, red chili powder and 1 tsp salt over the shrimp, mix well and set aside.
2 Soak the Bydagi and Kashmiri chilies in warm water for about 15-20 minutes. In a pan, dry roast the peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds for about 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the grated coconut and roast for another 4-5 minutes while constantly stirring to prevent the coconut from burning. Add the roughly chopped ½ medium onion and the chopped garlic cloves and roast further for another 3-4 minutes while constantly stirring. Transfer to a plate and cool to room temperature.
3 Once the coconut-garlic-onion-spice mixture has cooled to room temperature, transfer to blender. Add the rice, soaked chilies and half cup of water and blend to a fine paste. Use more water if needed for blending.
4 Heat the vegetable oil in a deep sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the finely chopped onion and sauté till golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle in turmeric powder and asafetida and mix. Add the blended paste and stir well, ensuring that the paste does not catch the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes while stirring constantly. Add 2 cups of water and mix. Bring to simmer, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook further for another 3 minutes.
5 Add kokum (garcina indica) and tamarind paste and mix well. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for about 6-7 minutes to form the curry sauce.
6 Sprinkle in salt, mix and add the shrimp to the curry. Cover the pan and cook till the shrimp are fully cooked, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with the chopped cilantro leaves. If you are using pieces of fish (1½ to 2 inches wide) instead of the shrimp, please adjust the cooking time accordingly. Fish such as pomfret, Indian salmon, halibut and seabass might need about 7-9 minutes to cook fully.
Serve with hot steam basmati rice.
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