Madras Shrimp Curry

I have never like shrimp until today... I've tried it multiple times, breaded, un-breaded, in many different recipes, but could never like it, until today.

I'm taking a Multicultural Foods class this semester & one of the great benefits of it is we cook traditional foods from different cultures around the world. Today we cooked foods from Indian cultures & heard from one of our fellow professors in the food department who immigrated to the U.S. from India.

Another thing I love about this class? I get to learn how to cook with foods I've never cooked with before. For example, ginger. This recipe called for peeled ginger which I didn't know how to do, but a lovely friend in the class taught me a neat trick on how to. Simply take a spoon and scrape at the peel and it will peel right off. Genius!

The dishes we had were delicious so I want to share my favorite with you & it is the one which led me to like shrimp.

The flavors in this recipe burst and you can taste the garlic, ginger, etc. with ever bite. Not to mention the heat of the sauce, a tad spicy, but just the right amount!  My last favorite thing about this dish is the shrimp is a great way to get away from your nightly chicken or beef meal but its still packed with protein! Yum!

So here you go!

MADRAS SHRIMP CURRY

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock or chicken broth
1 1/2 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp
Salt
Cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Steamed rice, for serving

1. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet until simmering. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until softened and just beginning to brown (about 7 minutes)
2. Add the ginger, garlic, and curry and cook, stirring until fragrant (about 2 minutes)
3. Add the coconut milk and stock, and simmer over moderate heat until reduced by one-third and thickened (about 8 minutes)
4. Add the shrimp, season with salt and cayenne pepper and simmer over moderate heat until the shrimp are pink and cooked through (about 5 minutes)

*Note: The cayenne pepper is what is gonna give you a kick and some heat in the recipe so be sure to sample the sauce. You can always add more at the end too.

5. Stir in the mint and lemon zest and serve in deep bowls over steamed rice.

Enjoy!