Indian Shrimp Stews

Nearly every region has a version of shrimp simmered in curry and yogurt, cream, or coconut milk. Authentic Indian recipes often call for some obscure ingredients, but most can be replaced with easier-to-find items that can be purchased by mail order.

What distinguishes all authentic Indian recipes is the absence of curry powder. An Indian cook using a premixed curry powder is akin to a French cook using a premixed dried herb blend for every dish. Typically, onion and garlic are lightly panfried in vegetable oil or ghee (see below), and ginger and hot chiles are added along with various freshly ground spices. The stew is then finished with coconut milk, cream, or yogurt, or a combination, and is often given a sour tang with tamarind pulp and a sunny color with turmeric. Many Goan recipes—Goa is a former Portuguese colony on India’s west coast—include a spice paste that is made in advance and preserved with vinegar. It gives a delightful tangy complexity to many stews, not just those made with shrimp, and once you have it on hand, you can throw together a dish in minutes. While in Indian restaurants we often eat stewlike dishes with various traditional breads, simple steamed or boiled basmati rice is a perfect foil for these saucy dishes.