Curry ‘n’ Flava with Kavita Atul

So this was supposed to be the name for my blog initially but was rudely struck down by my L&M (Lord and Master) and the PKs (Prodigal kids). The general opinion (to put it mildly) was it sounds like ‘Korean Flavor’, go figure.  But what do I, having stayed home for 20+ years know about the world and the way it turns,  so I gave in and spent another 6 months looking for a new name –  Salt as Needed. Miracle of miracles they approved, Bless my heart !  And the journey starts…….

In India when something is referred to as Curry or Kadhi it really means some kind of a gravy or ‘liquidy” dish made with either lentils, legumes,yogurt, veggies or a protein. Every region in India has their own version of a curry. Western India uses a lot of dry coconut,turmeric, cumin, coriander , jaggery or sugar with tamarind  and kokum (Garcinia Indica)  used to add acidity to the curry . In the North they use  red chili powder, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves along with tomatoes or yogurt to form their curries. .  The South uses fresh coconut, black pepper,dry red chillies, coriander and cumin seeds with tamarind in their lentils and veggies. It is very interesting, in the East they use a lot of coconut milk but very few spices like mustard seeds, fennel seeds and black cumin with jalapeno peppers used for heat in  their curries, relying more on the natural flavors of the veggies and protein  and keeping it delicate. Growing up in India, the  famous “Sindhi Kadhi”, laden with veggies in an aromatic lentil based tamarind and tomato broth,  was a Sunday staple at my house (promise to share that recipe soon).

When I moved to the USA,  I saw a lot of curry powder or Madras curry powder on grocery shelves that smelt and tasted nothing like what we used in Indian cooking. They were the English version of the curry powder, a leftover from their days of colonizing India-  which like their Raj(rule)- they did a terrible job of.

So let me share with you my version of a Shrimp Curry that is like me, a lot of East and a little of the West :

 

1 lb medium sized shrimp ( shelled and deveined) drained and dried on a paper towel

2  tbsp olive oil

1 small onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic crushed

7-8 Curry Leaves* torn in half (see note)

1/2 tbsp chili  powder

1/2 tbsp curry powder ( recipe given below)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp lemon juice

1-2 pappadums** crushed

6 Mini pocket Pitas

Curry Powder or Garam Masala ( for Milder curries)

8 tsp Green Cardamoms seeds only

6 tsp Cumin Seeds

6 Tsp Peppercorns

1 tsp Cinnamon powder

1 tbsp Cloves

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

Dry roast all the ingredients (except the cinnamon powder)for the curry powder in a pan and grind or finely crush in a mortar and pestle. Store in an airtight bottle  a cool place.

Heat oil in a  flat bottomed pan, add the chopped onions and saute till translucent . Now add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Put in the red chilli powder, curry leaves, tomato paste, salt and cook on low flame  stirring all the time for 5 minutes. Add a couple tbsp of water if required. Now increase the flame to medium and add the shrimp in a single layer cooking it for 2 minutes on each side. Take off the stove add  lemon juice and sprinkle  curry powder all over and lightly toss. The shrimp should be thickly coated with the tomato gravy and have no extra moisture.

Take a shallow platter or low bowl, pour the shrimps in the center and arrange pita triangles or baby pitas all around. Garnish the shrimp curry with crushed pappadums, giving the dish a variety of textures and tastes all in one bite. You could serve it with a side of sliced red onions too.  Serve hot as an appetizer or entree.

HAPPY COOKING FROM KAVITA ATUL!!

I paired this dish with the Pavao, Vinho Verde, a  white from Portugal with crisp flavors and just the right acidity and and just enough sweetness to complement shellfish.