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Blazing Hot Shrimp Curry in Coconut Milk

The sweetness of coconut milk tames the heat of this quick stew somewhat, but it remains a dish for fans of fiery food. If you cut the number of chiles to one, however, that will change. In any case, you will want a fair amount of plain white rice with this one.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 large onions
10 garlic cloves
25 to 30 dried red chiles
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed
3 tablespoons curry powder, preferably homemade (pages 592–593)
3 cups coconut milk, homemade (page 584) or canned (about two 13-ounce cans)
1 1/2 to 2 pounds shrimp, peeled
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the onions, garlic, and two or more of the chiles in a food processor (the more chiles you grind, the hotter the dish; the remaining chiles are primarily for appearance). Process until ground.

    Step 2

    Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and the curry powder and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and remaining chiles, bring to a boil, and add the shrimp. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers and cook until the shrimp are all pink, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary, then stir in the lime juice. Garnish and serve.

The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
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