Spicy Shrimp
pescatarian | dairy free and gluten free
start to finish: 25 minutes
serves 4 with rice
This zesty dish is so quick because unlike one of my other shrimp dishes there are no tomatoes to reduce and no crustacean water to prepare. Buying de-shelled frozen shrimp will speed things up too, of course, but opting for fresh shrimp will deliver tastier results.
The use of baking powder as a preliminary step is a handy trick I learned from my neighbour’s father in Toronto. Mix in a couple of pinches with the shrimp and let it sit before cooking. It is the magic ingredient to yielding plump shrimp.
Ingredients:
14 ounces (400 grams) fresh shrimp
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup canola oil
12 whole dried red cayenne chilies, to taste
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 heaping teaspoons fresh curry leaves
1½ teaspoons nigella seeds (kalongi)
¼ teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup fresh coriander
lemon wedges
Utensils:
medium mixing bowl
3-litre medium saucepan with lid
paper-towel-lined side plate
Method:
If the shrimps still have their shells, remove and discard the shells. Place the cleaned shrimp in a mixing bowl. Add the baking powder to the shrimp and mix well by hand. This will help the shrimps to stay plump and juicy while cooking. A little goes a long way, so don’t overdo it. Let the shrimps sit on the counter while you prepare the base.
Place the oil in medium-sized saucepan on MEDIUM heat. Once you feel the heat rise above the saucepan, add just half of the dried red chilies. Keep the remaining chilies aside for the garnish. Swirl the chilies around in the pan. A lovely, sharp aroma will rise from the hot peppers as they turn bright red. Use a pair of tongs to transfer the chilies to a paper-towel-lined plate to soak up any excess oil. Keep these aside for later as well.
Return to the saucepan. Add the chopped garlic and curry leaves to the heated oil. Leave the heat on MEDIUM. Stir for 30 seconds and then add the nigella seeds, turmeric and salt. Stir for another 15 seconds.
Mix the shrimp into the hot oil infusion so that they are evenly coated in the seasoning. Reduce the heat to MEDIUM-LOW and stir attentively for about three minutes. Once the shrimps curl, they are ready. Cover the saucepan, turn off the heat and move the saucepan to a cool burner. Let the shrimp rest for another two minutes.
Transfer the shrimp to a serving dish. Using your bare hand, crumble the fried chilies over the shrimp. Continue to garnish with the fresh coriander leaves and the remaining whole, unfried chilies. Serve with lemon wedges.
Tip: This is supposed to be hot and spicy, but for some diners the 12 chilies might be overkill. This still retains its zing with half the amount, so adjust according to your taste. Or use milder red chilies, such as Kashmiri chilies. And remember not to crush them all.