This aromatic Coconut Curry Shrimp Recipe is full of flavor, yet quick and easy to make. Curry Shrimp and Rice is a healthy, gluten free and clean eating meal that can even be made on a weeknight.
What is the type of food you crave the most and hardest? For me it is definitely curry! This is my kind of comfort food.
Curry was an easy craving to satisfy while we were living in Thailand last year. Right outside of our apartment building was a row of little hole-in-wall restaurants, one making more delicious food than the next.
A Burmese restaurant, next to a Japanese Katsu place, next to the sweetest aunties making any kind of Thai food you can think of – fresh to order and served with steamed red rice!
Needless to say, we visited each of these often and I actually never had to cook, when I didn’t feel like it.
Now, that we are in Mexico I get my fill of delicious Mexican food, but this hasn’t eliminated my curry cravings. At first, I was devastated not to find Thai curry pastes in any of the import food stores.
I tried creating rich, aromatic curries with just ground spices – similar to my Ground Beef Cauliflower Curry. But for coconut curries, I was missing the Thai touch of lemon grass, kaffir lime and galangal.
Then, all of a sudden, one of the best stocked import stores in town had a shelf full of red, green, yellow, Panang and Massaman Thai curry paste jars. I was in heaven and stocked up! Although it looks like this shelf of Thai heaven is there to stay now.
Is This Curry Shrimp Recipe Thai or Jamaican?
While researching this curry shrimp recipe, I realized that Thai curry shrimp and Jamaican curry shrimp recipes are the most popular. I took inspiration from several different recipes and also my Yellow Chicken Curry.
So in the end, I believe this is more or less a Thai-Jamaican fusion coconut curry shrimp recipe. Both seem to make curry shrimp with coconut milk. However, Thai recipes usually rely on curry paste only, while the Jamaican recipes I read were made with curry powder and other spices.
My recipe for curry shrimp calls for yellow curry paste AND curry powder, therefore I am considering it fusion food.
By the way, you can also use green or red curry pastes to make green or red curry shrimp. Just keep in mind that those are usually spicier and have a few other flavor notes.
How To Cook Curry Shrimp
This easy curry shrimp is quick enough to prepare on a weeknight. Shrimp is a really fast-cooking protein. You actually want to make your not to overcook it – otherwise it can turn rubbery.
Start by searing the peeled, deveined, tails removed shrimp in a hot pan. Just two minutes per side does it, then set the shrimp aside.
Continue this curry shrimp with onion and garlic (these 2 are at the base of pretty much any good meal). After sautéing them, add the curry paste and give it a good stir fry through – this will bring out its delicious flavors and aromas.
Add the curry powder and deglaze with coconut milk and broth. Sweeten just a touch with coconut sugar and then simmer the curry with the bell pepper to soften it.
Curry (and any Thai food in general) is a good balance of salty, sweet, and sour. So give it a try at this point and adjust with fish sauce (salty + umami), lime juice (sour) or even a little more coconut sugar, if needed.
Finally, stir the shrimp back into the curry and simmer just a little – only to reheat the shrimp (not to cook it further).
What Goes with Curry Shrimp?
Serving curry shrimp with rice is the most obvious route. I prefer steamed whole grain red or brown rice. For a different twist, you could also try this shrimp with angel hair pasta (whole grain).
The bell pepper on this yellow curry shrimp recipe already provides a vegetable serving, but a quick green salad will help to balance this meal.
Whatever you pair with this simple curry shrimp recipe, don’t forget to top it with chopped cilantro and a lime wedge to round out the flavors.
VIDEO: How To Make Curry Shrimp
Curry Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp peeled, deveined and tails removed
- 2 tablespoons oil divided
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons yellow curry paste
- 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
- 1 15- ounce can coconut milk
- 1 cup broth vegetable, chicken or seafood
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce soy sauce or liquid aminos can be substituted
- juice of 1 lime or to taste
For serving:
- chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
Instructions
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Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or skillet on medium-high. Once hot, add the shrimp and cook them to add a nice sear (about 2 minutes per side). The shrimp should turn pink, but make sure not to overcook them.
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Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
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Add the other tablespoon of oil and sauté the chopped onion, until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
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Now, add the yellow curry paste and give it a nice stir-fry. Spread it around the pan as best as you can, so it gets fragrant throughout.
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Then, stir in curry powder and add coconut milk and broth.
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Stir in coconut sugar and diced bell pepper. Close with a lid and simmer until the pepper pieces soften (5-8 minutes).
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Remove the lid and taste the curry. Adjust flavors with fish sauce for saltiness and lime juice for acidity.
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When you are happy with the flavors of the curry, add the cooked shrimp back into the pan and simmer for just a minute or 2 longer, to reheat the shrimp (but you don't want to cook it more).
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Serve this Coconut Curry Shrimp alongside steamed brown rice. Serve with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
Melanie | Melanie Makes
I’m a fan of anything curry and this looks absolutely delicious! Going on next week’s menu plan!