I is for Indian curry

It was Simona's turn to cook this week. After some debate she decided that she was ready for Indian food again. This shrimp with spiced masala and coconut milk turned out wonderfully. It was even better the next day, when all of the ingredients had had the opportunity to sit together and infuse the dish. The recipe below was taken from an old issue of Bon Appetit but Simona doubled the spices (the recipe below is Simona's spicier version). If you don't like spice, cut the portions in half and you will get a milder version. We ate it with steamed basmati rice and opted for fruit juice instead of wine (Indian-style).

Ingredients

Masala:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onions
6 large garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons garam masala (purchases at the indian store in the Mission)
3 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

Shrimp:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 13 1/2-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onion tops
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

For masala:
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until deep golden, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and all spices; stir 1 minute. Cool to lukewarm. Puree tomatoes with juices and yogurt in processor until almost smooth. Add onion mixture; puree until almost smooth. Season masala to taste with salt and pepper.

For shrimp:
Heat oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium-high heat.Add shrimp and sauté until partially cooked, about 2 minutes.

C is for Curry

A couple of weeks ago, we had some tasty curried mussels at our favorite Flagstaff casual spot, the Beaver Street Brewery. Simona made her own version this week. We paired the dish with some crusty baguette and a bottle of Fume Blanc. The shrimp was an impulsive and welcome addition. This recipie makes 4 servings.

ingredients
1/3 stick butter
3 tomatoes, seeded, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 or 1/3 of the 14-ounce can water
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) Thai red curry paste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
6-8 oz shrimp (we used frozen, coooked, tail-off shrimp)

preparation
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and ginger; sauté until garlic is tender, about 2 minutes.

Mix in coconut milk, water, curry paste, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and salt.

Simmer 4 minutes to blend flavors.

Add mussels and frozen shrimp; cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Transfer mixture to serving bowl. Garnish with remaining cilantro.