During my first trip to India in November 2020, I tasted the typical Goan curry shrimp soup twice, the first time still in Delhi on November 7th at “QBA“, then as soon as I arrived in Goa, at the restaurant “The lazy dog“.
Very spicy, like all Indian dishes, often accompanied by white rice and Indian bread.
In India, the term “curry” (in Hindi masala) refers to a blend of spices, which has nothing to do with the “curry” we mean, a Westernization of British origin.
The most famous masalas are tandoori masala and pav bhaj masala.
Depending on the formulation, there will be a “mild” curry or moderately spicy or “sweet” very spicy.
The classic formulation of masala includes: black pepper, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, and also cloves, ginger, nutmeg, fenugreek, chili, saffron, cardamom.
In this case, the Goan shrimp soup is cooked in a masala of: turmeric, paprika, cumin, and ginger.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Portions: 2 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 7 oz shrimp tails
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- as needed Ginger
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 bell pepper
- 7 oz Tomato puree
- 1 cup Coconut milk
- as needed salt and pepper
- as needed ghee (or clarified butter)
- as needed coriander leaves or parsley
Preparation
Toast the seeds in a large pot for 3/4 minutes, lower the heat and add the ghee, turmeric, and paprika (if seeds and spices are not toasted, they cannot release their aroma).
Blend the peeled and chopped onion, ginger, and garlic. Add the cleaned bell pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the mixture to the seeds in the pot and sauté for 10 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water to prevent it from sticking.
Add the tomato puree and coconut milk and cook for about 20 minutes.
Add the shrimp, cleaned and chopped (leaving some whole for decoration) and cook for another 5/6 minutes.
Once cooked, serve the curry shrimp soup by distributing the whole shrimp in each and decorating with coriander or parsley to taste.
To deepen your knowledge of spices, I recommend an excellent book on the subject: “Spices that Save Lives” 18.90 €
