Coconut Shrimp

These are not the all-american – and all deep-fried – coconut shrimp. These are Indian and curried. They’re full of spice and flavour, perfect for summer.

Doesn’t it seem odd though, that spicy food is most commonly eaten in the hottest of climates? You’d think that extra heat from food wouldn’t be so widely acclaimed. And yet, the curries in India and even the papaya salad in Thailand, all pack a punch.

A quick research told me why: the first bite of a spicy dish will bring sweat to your brow, so when a breeze blows by, you’re instantly cooled off.

I think a cool chutney, or in this case a fennel and radish salad, never hurt either. This one is every bit as refreshing as the breeze, and it has good crunch.

Apparently, the coconut in the dish also serves a purpose: its fat content makes the heat more tolerable. But I like it for its tropical flavour and pleasant chew. So here it is, and don’t worry, the spice level is adustable. The curry is very flavourful without the spice, if that’s what you prefer.

Coconut Shrimp Curry

Serves four

Ingredients:

2 fresh jalapeno chiles, very finely diced

7 dried curry leaves

3 garlic cloves

scant 1/2 tsp ground ginger (or scant tbsp freshly grated)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

scant tsp whole mustard seeds

scant tsp ground coriander

scant 1/2 tsp ground cumin

scant 1/4 tsp groud turmeric

1/2 large onion, diced

2-3 large tomatoes, diced

2/3 cup dried, unsweetened coconut

1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled (deveined if desired)

handful of fresh coriander leaves

1/2 lime, cut into wedges

1 1/2 cups cooked basmati rice

Directions:

1. Over medium heat, cook chilis and garlic until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute (with ginger if using fresh).

2. Add spices along with a generous pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes or until mustard seeds begin to pop.

3. Add onions and cook until softened. Add tomatoes and coconut, rbing to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, until tomates are softened and flavours have blended, abolut 15 minutes ( you might need to add a splash of water to keep things moist).

4. Turn the heat back up to medium and add shirmp. Cook until just cooked through (uniformely pink) for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over basmati rice, garnished with fresh coriander and a spritz of lime.