Masala shrimp

Masala shrimp from The Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking Explained + More Than 100 Essential Recipes by Nik Sharma

Print Recipe

Nutrition Facts

Masala shrimp

Amount Per Serving

Calories 128 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 187mg62%

Sodium 619mg27%

Potassium 140mg4%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 201IU4%

Vitamin C 9mg11%

Calcium 117mg12%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

A speedy spicy prawn dish

Prep Time6

Cook Time4

Marinating time5

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 128kcal

Author: Nik Sharma

Equipment

Large bowl
Small bowl
Medium stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet

Ingredients

445 g raw medium shrimp peeled and deveined, tails left on
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves peeled and grated
2.5 cm piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Fine sea salt
2 tbsp minced chives for garnish
1 lime quartered, for garnish

Method

Rinse the shrimp under cold running water, pat dry with clean paper towels, and place in a large bowl.
Combine one tablespoon of the oil and the garlic, ginger, tomato paste, lime juice, garam masala, cayenne, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the shrimp, season with salt, and fold to coat evenly. Let sit for five minutes.
Heat the remaining one tablespoon of oil in a medium stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp with the liquids in the bowl to the hot oil and sauté until they turn pink, three to four minutes. The tomato paste and shrimp might make it tricky to determine the pink colour, so cut a piece of the shrimp in half; the flesh inside should be completely tender and white in addition to the outer surface and tail turning pink.
Transfer the shrimp to a serving plate. Garnish with the chives. Serve immediately with the lime quarters on the side.

Notes

THE FLAVOUR APPROACH: The heat from the cayenne and spices in the garam masala are amplified by the addition of lime juice. Lime juice also helps denature the proteins in the shrimp, which cook even faster once heated, so do not over-marinate the shrimp, or they will get rubbery.

Nutrition