
We love curry around here. And we love shrimp. I have a recipe for Shrimp Stir-Fry with Coconut Curry Sauce that is divine and marries the two flavors but is more of a, well, stir-fry, as the name implies, versus this new curry recipe that channels a stew-like flavor and style.
Extremely simple to prepare, and quick, too, the combination of sultry, deep spices with the creamy coconut milk and tender shrimp is beyond what words can describe. This, to me, is pure comfort food. We ate it over basmati rice and although we sopped up the saucy curry with delicate pieces of naan, you could easily serve this in a bowl, just like the Coconut Curry Soup. Methinks I should really seek help for my love of all things coconut and curry.
And finally, if you are averse to shrimp, I actually believe chicken would make a great substitution here OR leave it out completely for a vegetarian dish. Make this! Love this! Don’t be scared of the flavors if you haven’t cooked Indian food a lot – I just know you’ll adore the subtle, delicious flavors! And please invite me over when you serve it up.

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Note: the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon kosher salt which is how I make it and love it, however, several commenters have indicated the salt factor was too much for them so if you are worried about saltiness, start with half as much and work up from there.
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 1-2 pounds large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, from about a 1-inch peeled piece of ginger
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can coconut milk, light or regular
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Hot cooked rice for serving, if desired
Directions
- For the simple shrimp marinade, toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice in a resealable large bag or in a bowl. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat until rippling and hot. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pepper, ginger, salt, garlic, coriander, turmeric and curry powder. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is very fragrant and the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the undrained tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, for about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Add the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the shrimp and any accumulated juices from the marinade. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are curled, lightly pink and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired.















I made this with chicken- you’re right- it’s delicious. About to make it for the second time.
I made this for dinner tonight. It was the best, most delicious thing I’ve made in a long time!
I couldn’t dare invite you over – that would mean I would have to share.
Made this tonight and ZERO leftovers remained from me my husband and our 4 & 7 year old boys. Great job! Did not make any alterations to the recipe except to add Siracha to my bowl to kick up the heat a little bit.
So I have been put off of Indian curry since I was in Sri Lanka and found out I was pregnant. They eat curry for every meal and I decided I never wanted it again….but I tried this tonight since my hubs loves curry and IT WAS AWESOME. I really enjoyed it! Thanks for this great recipe. I did use less salt and it was perfect.
[...] Shrimp Curry-http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/01/coconut-shrimp-curry-silpat-giveaway.html-Served with sauteed [...]
We made this recipe (with several alterations) and it was AMAZING! We sautéed the spices in coconut oil and put in some veggies, carrot, sweet potatoe, peas, and handful of Swiss chard minutes befor serving. If I had zucchini or cauliflower I would have added those also. We used shrimp and Nantucket bay scallops. Like I said, AMAZING. We were so pleased with ourselves!
I was needing some inspiration tonight, and I noticed we had some shrimp in the freezer. I remembered a photo on Facebook of a friend scarfing shrimp curry in Mexico. A quick search brought me here (I’ve never been) and LO AND BEHOLD, for ONCE I had every ingredient (including coconut milk I’d bought last year on sale and regretted).
This combo is superb–the addition of the marinating juices brought the bite up to just the right pitch. Some saffron rice, this creamy addition on top, and voila! A nice surprising change for my husband and me. I personally only had a cup of home-canned tomatoes, and we found that just right.
Oh Mel, where do I even begin with this dish…Amazing, mouth-watering, simply delicious. I made this last night for dinner. It’s super easy and super tasty. As I was eating it I thought, “I need to comment about this right now!” But then I realized that stopping to write a comment would interrupt my putting more of this scrumptious meal into my mouth! I couldn’t stand the thought of temporarily stopping, so I decided comments would have to wait. When I was done, I promptly licked the bowl and then got a couple more spoonfuls. You don’t need the rice, but it adds nice texture. I took leftovers in my lunch today, too! Sadly, my plastic container is too deep for me to lick the bowl. Please note that I found out it was too deep AFTER I tried licking it. But since I’m sitting at a desk, in an office, that may be for the best.
Next to the rustic crusty bread, I’ve decided this the best thing I’ve ever made from your blog. While I was making it, I took a little taste of the mixture before I added the coconut milk. It was even really good at that point. If I’m ever looking to lighten things up, I may skip the coconut milk sometime and add chicken stock instead. Also, for anyone who doesn’t like coconut milk, I bet using some half and half would work too. You made a note about the salt, and as I measured out a tablespoon I looked at it and got really scared. So I decided to only use half and add more later if needed. But I was happy with the results and didn’t add more. I can’t say enough about this dish. The spice comb is awesome and there’s a lovely amount of heat, too. I loved it and can’t wait to make it again.
Yumminess!!!!! We backed the salt to 1 tsp and upped the cayenne to 1/4 tsp. Amazing!!!! Thanks so much!!!
forgot to say, also used Hot Madras curry powder and 2 pounds of shrimp. We like it spicy!!!!
[...] from MelsKitchenCafe.com (adapted from American [...]
[...] curry came out really well. A mix of my own creation and this recipe. [...]
I wanted to amp up the spice factor and so added 3-4 crushed red chillies to the mix. Along with the black peppers…mmmm!
I am ordering this now for Mother’s Day. it’s the least I can do for me.
I made this–didn’t have the coriander or cilantro and added some crushed red chillies–was absolutely delicious! Going to make it again tonight with all the right ingredients. Ready for some yumindulgence!
I made this last night for Mother’s Day. We loved it:))))))