One of my Favorite Dishes

I found this recipe for Goan Shrimp Curry years ago and fell in love with it. Over the years, it has become attached to many happy memories.

I first cooked it for my dad -- who loves shrimp -- while he was helping me remodel the kitchen in my New York apartment. Each night the contractor would leave the kitchen with a sheet of plywood for a counter top that I could cook on.  Dad liked it so much that we had it for dinner and lunch the next day, then he asked me to cook it again on the weekend when my mom came to check on our progress.

I cooked this for "adopted family" friends in Colorado and now whenever I come to visit they ask me to cook it for them.

This year it's my parents 60th wedding anniversary and Dad wanted to take the family to a favorite restaurant about 1-1/2 hours away. But the weather forecast is for snow all week and I woke up this morning thinking about how awful it would be if an anniversary celebration turned into an automobile accident on dark, icy roads. So I proposed to my parents that I would cook this dish so the whole family could celebrate safely at home. (When Dad called to cancel the reservation, the host at the restaurant said that there had been several accidents on the highway nearby and that it was actually closed at the moment, so I think we made the right call.) 

I think this would make a wonderful dish for a New Year celebration -- there will probably be leftovers so that's likely to happen!

No matter when you serve it, bon appetit!

Goan-Style Shrimp Curry

This recipe came from the New York Times, March 5, 2008. 

1-1/3 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined*
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
4 dried red chilies (I use 2 — 4 is really spicy!)
1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 cups canned chopped tomatoes, with juice (a 28-ounce can) (I like petite-diced best)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1-1/2 cups coconut milk (1 12-ounce can)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2-3 cups cooked rice (I prefer Basmati rice for this)

* If you don't like shrimp you can use bite-sized pieces of chicken breast, or for a vegetarian alternative use chick peas or tofu.

1. Place shrimp in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag, and add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and cayenne. Mix well and refrigerate.

2. In a deep skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, combine oil and chilies and stir 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cook for 1 minute longer. Add ginger, onion, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt and sauté until onion is soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, ground coriander and turmeric and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomatoes. Stir, scraping sides and bottom of pot, for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.

4. Stir in curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add coconut milk, bring to a boil, and add shrimp. Bring to a simmer and cook until shrimp are opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Serve with rice.

Yield: 3 to 4 large servings