Goan Shrimp Curry

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Curry and rice are Goan meal staples. Every summer when we visited our grandparents in Goa, we feasted on fresh fish. My parents would make a trip to the marketplace where you had a large, wet, slushy section devoted to fish. That’s where you heard fisherwomen loudly arguing with those who tried to haggle to a price that was deemed too ridiculous! These fisherwomen, all dressed so colorfully, sat with baskets overflowing with fish of all types – Shrimp/Prawns, Pomfrets, Mackerels, Kingfish, Shark. You had to know how to haggle or else, they smelled you were a novice and you’d end up paying three times the price. When my parents brought the fish home, we’d all help with cleaning the fish, and deveining those prawns. Then would come the grinding of the masala, on this large stone – that toned up your arm muscles by the end of the summer! Rechad-filled pomfrets, rava-prawns, ambot tik with shark, and prawn curry, the very thought makes me drool. But time is a critical asset these days, and thanks to shortcuts like coconut milk cans and food processors, I can whip up the same curries and then take my time enjoying the food and reminiscing about those holidays!

Servings: 4 people Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

20 medium-sized Prawns or Shrimp – cleaned and deveined

For Masala

  • 1.5 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 8-10 Kashmiri red chilis
  • 6 Garlic cloves
  • 3 tsp whole Coriander powder
  • 2 tsp Cumin powder
  • 1 Tamarind (marble-sized ball)
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Other ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons Coconut oil
  • 1 medium Onion chopped finely
  • 1 medium Tomato chopped finely
  • 1 green chili – slit
  • Salt (to taste)

Method:

  • Apply ½ tsp salt to shrimp and leave aside for about 15 minutes
  • Grind all ingredients under “For Masala” using sufficient water to form a smooth paste. Keep aside
  • In a pan heat, heat coconut oil. Add onions. Fry till onions are a light golden brown and add tomatoes. Cook for 6-8 minutes till the tomatoes are soft
  • Add the ground Masala, green chili and salt to the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes
  • Reduce the flame and simmer for 8-10 minutes
  • Add the shrimp and cook for 4-5 minutes (cooking times will change based on the size of shrimp used – large shrimp for 7-8 minutes, medium shrimp for 4-5 minutes and small shrimp for 2-3 minutes)
  • Turn off heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes
  • Serve with hot rice

Goan Beef Curry (Ninja Foodi / Stove Top / Pressure Cooker)

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Every Sunday morning after 6:30am mass, we’d go to see Nana and Papa (my maternal grandparents) who lived close to the church. The best part was the breakfast that followed – hot parathas, sunny-side up eggs, with beef “sidish” (i.e. curry). And Marie biscuits to dip into a cup of tea. But I digress. I didn’t realize a sidish actually meant side-dish until much later when I moved to North America. Nana’s beef side-dish, was a thick beef curry – spicy, tangy, and so delicious and the perfect accompaniment to eggs and parathas. It also made a great meal with a side of cauliflower and her aromatic rice pilaf.

SERVINGS: 4 – 6

INGREDIENTS:

  1. 2 tsp Cumin seeds
  2.  2 inches Cinnamon stick
  3.  10 cloves
  4.  10 black peppercorns
  5. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  6. 1 tsp red chili powder
  7. 8 large garlic cloves (peeled and roughly chopped)
  8. 2 inch ginger piece (peeled and roughly chopped)
  9. 1/2 onion (roughly chopped)
  10. 3 tbsp vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar one I run out of my stock of Goa vinegar. Regular vinegar works too)
  11. 2 medium potatoes (chopped into large cubes)
  12. 1 serrano pepper (or 2 green chilies (Indian or Thai) slit long
  13.  1 tsp sugar
  14. 3 tbsp oil
  15. salt to taste
  16. 2 lbs stewing beef
  17. Water

Method:

  1. For the ground masala:
    • In a small food processor, grind the first 6 ingredients until smooth
    • Add to that ingredients 7 through 10 and grind until smooth
  2. Add oil to a medium-sized non-stick pan or in a pressure cooker. When oil is hot, add in the ground masala, (keep the food processor aside, you’ll need it later) and fry on medium flame, until you see the oil start to separates from the ground masala – you’ll see it on the edges of the masala. About 2-3 minutes
  3. Add the beef chunks to the masala, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes
  4. Add half a cup of water to the food processor, swirling to get any masala remnants and then add to the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes
  5. If using a pan to cook on stove-top:
    • Add 2 cups of water, stir gently, bring to a boil, then cover and cook for 20 minutes
    • After 20 minutes, remove cover, add the potatoes, salt and sugar, and cook for 20 minutes
    • Go to step 7
  6. If using a pressure cooker:
    • Add another half cup of water, stir gently
    • Add cover of pressure cooker
    • Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes
    • When the time is up, immediately release the pressure
    • When the pressure has been released, add in the potatoes, salt and sugar. Place the pressure lid on and turn the valve to seal. Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes
    • When done, immediately release the pressure
  7. Check meat for tenderness
  8. Adjust the salt, if you like
  9. Serve with Goan pav, bread, over rice, or with chapatis/parathas