Tamarind and Chili Shrimp (a messy vacation dish)
This heart of this super easy dish is some extra tamarind chutney. Just about 4 tablespoons and you are in business for this show stopping Tamarind and Chili Shrimp. And the same flavors work very well, you want to use orange marmlade with lime. Different in some ways, but you get that sticky spicy effect. And so we have a new winner – Tamarind and Chili Shrimp.
Remember I told you about the kids little two by two plots? Lo and behold they did deliver the radishes as promised. Interestingly enough, a few years back my friend Ken was actually telling me about his daughter (then probably my older one’s age say 7) wanting to grow her own radishes. In turn, highlighting the fact that radishes have a short turnaround.
Actually, we have been up to all kinds of fun stuff – apple picking, raspberry picking, I shall tell you about it by and by during those cold winter months when there shall not be any garden stories to share. A little effort and inspiration can indeed go a long way. The great thing is that through the years the kids are getting very conscious about doing their little bit for the environment.
I created this dish while visiting my brother in Seattle. A simple dish, carelessly named Tamarind and Chili Shrimp. Actually, if I were organized I will tell you more about Seattle, period. It is an amazingly vibrant foodie city that makes me very happy with its sustainable approach to food. Oh and not to mention the fact that they do red wine better than white.
There are many cities that I like to put down as options should NYC fall off the surface of the earth, and Seattle is the first one on the West Coast that has caught my fancy. Admittedly, I have not scoped out all the West Coast cities, but have been to Portland, OR and SFO. Both of which were also charming, possibly does not measure up to the composite level of diversity that I found in Seattle.
It took us some time to figure out how to expand his drop leaf table, to fit all the food we were cooking. It is important to let you know that my brother does not really stock a spice cabinet or actually any pantry of sorts. The deal is that I send him a list before I visit and he is exceedingly dilligent about getting anything I ask of him, so how can I complain? To keep up my side of the deal, I carry a minimal amount of spices and we are happy.
An easy and spicy shrimp dish that will tingle the palate on a fall day.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 8 to 10 curry leaves optional (but a good idea)
- 1 medium sized red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
- 1 pound of shelled and de-viened shrimp
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 cup tamarind chutney (homemade or store bought)
- 1/4 cup of chopped chilies (a mild red, green or mixed variety is perfect for this dish)
- Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil and add in the mustard seeds and wait until the seeds crackle. Add in the curry leaves and the onion and ginger and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are softened and fragrant.
- Add in the shrimp and toss well. Stir in the salt and mix well. Cook the shrimp for about five minutes.
- Add in the tamarind chutney and cook for another five minutes.
- Stir in the chilies and cook for another minute and toss in the cilantro.