Tamarind Shrimp With Coconut Milk Recipes

TAMARIND SHRIMP WITH COCONUT MILK

Steps:

• Combine masala, salt and tamarind paste in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss them with the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Do not overmarinate, as the acidic tamarind will make the shrimp rubbery after 2 hours' contact.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add shrimp in a single layer. Reserve any excess marinade. Sear the shrimp for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side.
• Pour coconut milk and any residual marinade over shrimp, add curry leaves and stir once or twice. Cook curry uncovered, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are salmon-orange and curled but still tender and the sauce is slightly thick, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately.

COCONUT SHRIMP WITH TAMARIND GINGER SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Whisk tamarind concentrate into lime juice in a small bowl until dissolved. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients and chill, covered.
• Prepare shrimp:
• Coarsely chop coconut and transfer half to a shallow soup bowl or pie plate.
• Whisk together flour, beer, baking soda, salt, cayenne, and egg in a small bowl until smooth.
• Heat oil in a 4- to 6-quart deep heavy pot over moderately high heat until it registers 350°F on thermometer.
• While oil is heating, coat shrimp:
• Hold 1 shrimp by tail and dip into batter, letting excess drip off, then dredge in coconut, coating completely and pressing gently to help adhere. Transfer to a plate and coat remaining shrimp in same manner, adding remaining coconut to bowl as needed.
• Fry shrimp in oil in batches of 8, turning once, until golden, about 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season lightly with salt. Skim any coconut from oil and return oil to 350°F between batches.
• Serve shrimp with sauce.
• Available at Latino and Indian restaurants and at Kalustyan's (212-685-3451).

SHRIMP AND CHAYOTE IN A COCONUT-TAMARIND SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the coriander seeds and peppercorns into a small, cast-iron frying pan and set over medium heat. Stir the spices until they emit a roasted aroma and turn half a shade darker. Empty into a clean coffee-grinder or other spice grinder and grind as finely as possible. Put in a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients for the sauce and mix well with a small whisk.
• Just before eating, put the oil in a large, preferably non-stick saute pan and set over medium-high heat. When very hot, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as the seeds begin to pop (a matter of seconds), put in the shallots. Stir and fry for 30 seconds. Put in the garlic and ginger and continue to stir and fry for 30 seconds or until the shallots have browned a bit. Put in the shrimp and stir a few times. Add the chayote. Continue to stir and cook for a minute. Sprinkle lightly with a little salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir to mix. Add the coconut milk mixture and turn the heat down to medium low. Stir and allow the shrimp and chayote to cook through gently. As soon as the shrimp are opaque, stir in the basil and serve.

GRILLED SHRIMP WITH TAMARIND SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare grill for cooking.
• Soak shrimp (still in shells) in salt water 5 minutes, then rinse well in a colander.
• Make sauce:
• Place tamarind in a bowl with water and rub with your fingers to dissolve pulp. Pour through a sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, and discard solids.
• Heat oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cilantro paste and garlic, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in hot sauce, 3 tablespoons tamarind juice, palm sugar, and fish sauce. Simmer until thickened to consistency of light syrup, about 3 minutes.
• Grill shrimp:
• Snip shells of shrimp with scissors down center of back, from wide end to second-to-last tail section. Butterfly shrimp in their shells, making a deep incision along length of back where shells are cut, and devein.
• Grill shrimp on their sides on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until shells are pink and slightly charred and shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (Alternatively, grill shrimp in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat.)
• Spoon tamarind sauce over shrimp (still in shells) in a serving dish.