Goan Shrimp Curry is a well-known delicacy and if you have visited Goa in the past, you will have had this curry most probably while enjoying the sunset in a beach shack.
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The quick and easy Goan Shrimp Curry can be prepared in less than 25 minutes from scratch with fresh ingredients and the basic Goan curry paste.
Curries from Goa have a notorious good name in India and abroad. That is for a good reason because due to the cultural and historical influences of the past, the curries tend to have a little special zing to them.
The Goan shrimp curry is one of those favorite Goan eats, prepared with fresh shrimp and the basic
Goan curries are traditionally prepared with grated fresh coconut. Coconuts are a fundamental food ingredient in the Goan cuisine, it wouldn't be a Goan dish without coconut.
(Find more Goan coconut recipes at the end of the post)
The smallest state of India is situated in the right spot, to the west coast touching the Arabian see, the Indian Ocean.
Therefore, fish dominates the food culture.
What would a Goan be without his Bangde (Mackerel in local language Konkani)?
Shrimps, better known as Sungta in
It is a common custom in Asia to dry shrimps and use them in salads, curries and so on.
In
The technique of drying fish and shrimp involves a few things.
The seafood is cleaned, salted, and kept to dry in the hot Asian sun.
The purpose of drying is to have fish, although dried, in the rainy season.
The Indian monsoon is harsh and the weather is too dangerous for the fishermen.
In June/July the government imposes a fishing ban to allow the fish populace to recover.
So, fish becomes a commodity, and the rates for fresh fish rise.
So, at the same moment, we enjoy the precious fresh seafood of the sea right now and celebrate it today with this Goan Shrimp Curry.
The shrimp Curry was prepared with fresh shrimp bought from the Chapora harbor in North Goa.
I got a kilo of tiger shrimps for about 600 INR (9$ or 8,5€).
It was a mixed bag with red and black tiger shrimps, the boat had just docked at the small Chapora harbor.
People come there and directly buy the fish for restaurants, hotels, or simply for private use.
Tip: You can use smaller shrimps too for this recipe because tiger shrimps tend to be a bit more pricey.
The advantage of getting fresh shrimps is obviously fresh flavors.
However, you will spend some time cleaning the shrimps because you will need to remove the shell, the head, and the inside.
The insides of shrimps must be removed to avoid health issues.
Clean and devein your shrimps.
You can use frozen shrimps for this Goan shrimp curry.
I usually buy a kilo, clean it all and then freeze whatever I want to use for another time.
You can buy store frozen shrimps too, however, they don't come with the heads and in this Goan shrimp curry, you have the option of adding shrimp heads to intensive the curry flavor.
Adding shrimp heads to the curry deepens the flavors and turns it into an aromatic feast.
I like to do it, you don't have to, you have the option, it's just a great cooking "insider" tip!
More Shrimp Curry Ideas
- Quick shrimp curry with coconut milk (Asian inspired)
- Thai red shrimp curry
Dear reader, do you enjoy seafood?
📖 Recipe
Goan Shrimp Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion sliced
- 1 Tomato diced
- 1 Green Chili Pepper slit lengthwise
- 5 Piece Okra cut into chunks
- 12 Large Shrimp aka Prawns
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato Sauce
- 1 ½ Cup Goan Curry Paste
- 3 ½ Cup Stock *see Notes
- Salt to taste
- 6 Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Add and heat the oil in the pan, throw in the slit green chili and curry leaves. Stir fry for a minute or two, so to release the aroma. Fry the onion slices until they turn a bit golden.
- Then add the tomato dices and fry for 1 minute and after that add in the Okra pieces and stir fry for another minute.
- Now you can add your clean shrimps to the pan. Stir fry and cook for 2 minutes. Optional: add in the shrimp heads for extra flavor.
- Then pour in the vegetable stock or water, season with salt and mix well. Cover and cook for 18 minutes. Stir occasional. If you have added shrimp heads for flavor, take out the shrimp heads and discard after the curry finished cooking.
- Serve hot with rice and a bhaji of your choice. A small amount of pickle would go well with the curry, such as Green Mango Pickle.
Notes
- Adding the shrimp heads is optional because they give great flavor to the curry but if you are relying on frozen shrimp packets, you won't have shrimp heads.
- I recommend adding a seafood stock such as lobster stock for flavor.
