Twenty-Minute Shrimp Masala

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A restaurant-style tomato-cream masala built from scratch in about fifteen minutes, then finished with plump shrimp that poach in the sauce for just three minutes. The sauce does all the work, so the shrimp stay sweet and snappy instead of turning rubbery. Serve with basmati rice or warm naan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb large shrimp (26/30), peeled and deveined, tails off
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 3 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 serrano chile, split lengthwise (optional)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chile powder or sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 14.5-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), optional
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
• Basmati rice or naan, for serving

Instructions

1. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels, then toss in a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and the cayenne. Refrigerate while you build the sauce — 15 minutes of contact is plenty.
2. Heat the ghee and oil in a 12-inch skillet or wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle and darken slightly, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, 6 to 7 minutes, until the edges are deep golden — push the heat so it browns rather than steams; that color is where the depth comes from.
4. Add the garlic, ginger, and serrano and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant and no longer raw-smelling.
5. Stir in the tomato paste, coriander, garam masala, Kashmiri chile powder, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric. Fry for 60 to 90 seconds, until the paste darkens to brick red and coats the pan.
6. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, water, 1 teaspoon salt, and the sugar. Scrape the pan bottom clean, bring to a brisk simmer, and cook uncovered 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to leave a trail behind a spoon and small pools of ghee break at the edges.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the heavy cream and the fenugreek leaves, crushing the leaves between your palms as you add them. Taste and adjust salt now — the sauce should taste slightly bolder than you want the finished dish, since the shrimp will dilute it.
8. Slide the shrimp into the sauce in a single layer. Cover and cook 3 minutes total, turning them once at the 90-second mark, until just opaque and curled into a loose C. Pull the pan off the heat immediately; residual heat will finish them.
9. Stir in the lemon juice and most of the cilantro. Let the pan rest 2 minutes off heat, then serve over basmati rice or with naan, scattered with the remaining cilantro.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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