I have not cooked with curry much at all. It could have something to do with the fact my husband is not a fan.
However, I decided this Shrimp in Yellow Curry you see above was worth a try to see if I can change his mind.
I have ordered a similar dish I really enjoyed in a Thai restaurant. It was served in a creamy broth along with potatoes, tomatoes, and onions as I recall.
This dish has much of the same flavors, but is basically stir fried in a sauce until almost dry, and served over rice.
Yellow curry is not very hot, and one can control the amount of “heat “ added to the dish by the amount of chile spice you use. The coconut milk adds a subtle sweetness also which complements the spiciness.
And, having never known my husband to say no to shrimp, I gave it a go. The result … we both had seconds at dinner!
The lesson: If you were to ask my husband he would tell you he doesn’t like curry, coconut milk, ginger, or chilis.
But in the right dish and in the right amounts, magic happens!
This recipe is from cookbook author and food writer for the New York Times, Mark Bittman. It was featured in this article he wrote regarding the Thai cuisine. It is an interesting read…
http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/07/dining/the-minimalist-the-essence-of-thai-cooking.html
Here is the recipe…
Shrimp in Yellow Curry (Mark Bittman)
(4 servings)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 cup minced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon galangai or ginger
1 teaspoon minced hot chili, or crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tablespoon curry powder, or to taste
1 cup fresh or canned coconut milk (unsweetened)
1 and ½ to 2 pounds medium-to-large shrimp, peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons nam plan (fish sauce), or to taste
¼ cup minced cilantro or mint leaves
Preparation
Place the oil in a large, deep skillet and turn the heat to medium.
Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chilies and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and the mixture pasty.
Add the curry and cook, stirring another minute.
Add the coconut milk and raise the heat to medium-high.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is dearly dry. Add the shrimp, a few pinches of salt and a little black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp release their liquid (the mixture will become quite moist again) and turn pink.
Add half the nam pla, stir, then taste and add the rest if necessary.
Garnish with cilantro or mint and serve with white or sticky rice.
Delicious!!!
Note: I used brown rice. Next time I’ll try sticky rice.
