Shrimp In A Coconut Cream Sauce With Vegetables

There are nearly 7000 kilometers or about 4350 miles of coastline along India’s borders. Fishing and seafood are big industries all throughout India, and each region has its own regional specialties. I made an Indian dish called chingri malai curry or shrimp in a coconut cream sauce that hails from the Eastern coast of India. It is a combination of both Malaysian and Bengali influences and cultures.

Prawns in a Coconut Cream Sauce

The word malai usually refers to a cream being used in or as the sauce and chingri is usually translated to mean prawns. So …. prawns (chingri) and a cream sauce (malai). The cream in this recipe is coconut milk. The recipe I followed (sort of) did not call for the addition of vegetables, but I like vegetables in my curries, and in my foods in general, so I added some common vegetables used in a lot of Indian and Asian recipes. I added peas, mushrooms, carrots and red bell peppers. I also added a yellow heirloom tomato to give a little extra flavor and texture.

1 1/2 lbs large prawns or shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 onion, sliced very thin

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP ginger

2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced Asian style (at an angle)

3/4 cup of peas

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

4-5 mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp turmeric

red pepper flakes to taste

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

salt to taste

1 tsp ground mustard

1 tsp cardamom

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1 tsp chili powder

1 can coconut milk

1-2 TBSP honey

olive oil and coconut oil, optional for cooking

green onions, sliced

cilantro, chopped

Get a large skillet very hot and add the oil(s), the bay leaves, red pepper flakes and shrimp. Cook the shrimp for about 5-6 minutes or until cooked, then remove from the heat and set aside.

Add the onions, mushrooms, peppers and carrots to the oil and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Combine the rest of the spices, honey and coconut milk together and mix well. Add to the vegetables, along with the peas, the tomato (if using) and the shrimp. Mix together well, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring often, for about 5-8 minutes.

Add the green onions towards the end of the cooking process.

Once everything is ready, serve over cooked rice and top with the chopped cilantro.

I added some pork potstickers as a side dish and some tangy, citrusy white wine on the side. The wine is one of my favorites; a Spanish Albarino. The citrus of the white wine helps balance out the spiciness of the dish.

You can make this same sauce and use any kind of a white fish or chicken too. I like the addition of vegetables because it helps make the meal more complete, at least in my humble opinion, and I like complete, well balanced meals.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.