Fenugreek-Scented Coconut Shrimp

Name: Fenugreek-Scented Coconut Shrimp (Thenga Jhinga)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt; 10 to 12 medium-size to large fresh curry leaves; ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric; 2 tablespoons coconut oil or canola oil; 1 teaspoon tamarind paste or concentrate; 1 cup shredded fresh coconut; or ½ cup shredded dried unsweetened coconut, reconstituted (see Note); 1 pound large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined but tails left on; 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds; 4 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Thenga Jhinga

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

660 Curries

By Raghavan Iyer

Published 2008

About

The nibs of fenugreek will pucker your mouth, but the next wave of sweet coconut and spicy-hot chiles mellows out the obtrusive spice to make way for a well-balanced curry.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon tamarind paste or concentrate
1 teaspoon coarse kosher or s

Asia
India
Fish course
Pescatarian
Spicy
Gluten-free

Method

Combine the tamarind paste, salt, and turmeric in a medium-size bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to combine. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes to 2 hours, to allow the flavors to meld. (Do not marinate too much longer, because the highly acidic tamarind and salt will break down the shellfish and turn its texture unappealing and rubbery.)
Put the coconut, ½ cup wat