Goan Tamarind Shrimp Curry with Blistered Okra

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A bright, coconut-rich shrimp curry built on a quick fresh masala of Kashmiri chile, ginger and garlic, then finished with tamarind for that unmistakable Goan sweet-sour tang. Charred okra tossed with mustard seeds and curry leaves goes alongside, so dinner comes together in one skillet plus one pan — no grains, no dairy, just deeply spiced coconut gravy you'll want to drink from the bowl.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chile powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste (unsweetened)
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

• 1 lb fresh okra, halved lengthwise
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 12 fresh curry leaves
• 1 dried red chile, broken in half
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Toss the shrimp with 1/2 tsp turmeric, 3/4 tsp salt and the lime juice in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate while you build the curry, at least 15 minutes.
2. Heat 3 tbsp coconut oil in a large skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and cook 30–45 seconds until they crackle and pop. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring often, 8–10 minutes until deeply golden at the edges.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 90 seconds until fragrant. Lower the heat, add the Kashmiri chile powder, coriander, cumin, 1/2 tsp turmeric and black pepper, and stir constantly for 30 seconds so the spices bloom in the oil without scorching.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cup water. Cook 6–8 minutes over medium heat, mashing with the back of a spoon, until the tomatoes collapse into a thick paste and oil beads at the edges.
5. Pour in the coconut milk, then whisk in the tamarind paste, honey and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a bare simmer and cook 5 minutes, stirring, until the gravy is glossy and coats a spoon. Taste and adjust with more tamarind for tang or honey for balance, then keep at the lowest simmer.
6. While the gravy simmers, heat the avocado oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, the curry leaves and dried chile; stand back, as the leaves will spatter, and fry 20 seconds.
7. Add the okra cut-side down in a single layer, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt, and cook undisturbed 4 minutes until charred. Toss and cook 4–5 minutes more, stirring only occasionally, until blistered, tender and no longer sticky. Slide off the heat.
8. Raise the curry to a gentle simmer and slip in the shrimp in a single layer. Cook 2 minutes, turn each piece, and cook 1–2 minutes more, just until the shrimp are opaque and curled into loose C shapes. Remove from the heat immediately so they stay tender.
9. Stir the cilantro into the curry. Serve in shallow bowls with the blistered okra alongside and lime wedges for squeezing.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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