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Curry Shrimp

Shrimp seasoned with green seasoning and cooked quickly in burnt curry with a splash of coconut milk. Ready in under an hour, and best with roti.

Curry and Roti

  • 55 min est.
  • Serves 4
  • Easy
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Curry shrimp is the quickest of the Trinidad curries. The curry is burned in hot oil first, as for any curry, but the shrimp themselves need only a few minutes: overcooked shrimp turn tough and rubbery.

Season the shrimp with green seasoning while you prepare everything else. A little coconut milk at the end rounds out the gravy.

Roti shops often serve it with potato; the substitutions explain how to add it without overcooking the shrimp.

The recipe

Curry Shrimp

Prep
20 min
Cook
20 min
Seasoning the shrimp
15 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4

Times and quantities are our best estimates. This recipe is still being kitchen-tested, so trust your eyes and taste as you go.

Ingredients

Tick items off as you gather them.

For the shrimp

For the curry

Method

Season the shrimp

  1. Rinse the shrimp in cold water with the juice of the lime and drain well.
  2. Mix in the green seasoning and salt and leave for 15 minutes while you prepare the curry.

Burn the curry

  1. Mix the curry powder and geera with the ¼ cup (60 ml) water to make a smooth paste.
  2. Heat the oil in a wide pot or deep frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic and pimento peppers for 3 minutes until soft.
  3. Add the curry paste and the Scotch bonnet and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the paste darkens and smells toasty. Don't let it scorch.

Cook the shrimp

  1. Add the shrimp and stir to coat every one in the curry. Cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Pour in the coconut milk and the ¼ cup (60 ml) water. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, just until the shrimp are pink, curled and opaque all the way through. Don't cook them longer.
  3. Taste for salt, take off the heat and stir in the chadon beni.

Serve it with

  • Dhalpuri roti, buss up shut or sada roti
  • Plain white rice and dhal
  • Curry mango on the side

Substitutions

  • Curry shrimp and potato: boil 2 medium potatoes, cubed, in the curry with 1 cup (240 ml) water for 15 minutes until soft, before adding the shrimp.
  • Frozen shrimp: thaw in the fridge overnight and pat dry before seasoning.
  • Coconut milk: use water instead for a lighter gravy.

Storing and reheating

  • Refrigerate in a covered container and eat within 2 days.
  • Reheat gently, just until hot, so the shrimp don't toughen.

Cook's notes

  • Shrimp are cooked when they turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C. A tight O means they are overcooked.

https://trinbagorecipes.com/recipes/trinidad-curry-shrimp/

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