Mr. Prevention walked in the door yesterday and immediately groaned, “Ew, what smells like coconut?!” First, it is a mystery to me as to how anyone could hate the smell of coconut. And second, I’m a bit shocked (and impressed) by his sense of smell.
The smell he was complaining of was that of my nutty, coconutty granola, not my dinner. This dinner…Shrimp Korma. Which, ironically, contains coconut milk. Which I tripled the amount of in the recipe…because I love it so. And I know that Mr. Prevention is a buffoon who really does enjoy coconut.
Dinner was served and of course, there were no complaints of coconut flavors in this meal. Coconut is what makes the sauce creamy and rich…and killer.
His complaint was over the lack of heat. To which I replied, “NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE SPICY!” He can be so hard to please! I double-dog dare him to make dinner for a week — planning, shopping, preparation, AND clean-up. ‘Cause that’s what I do. And then I’ll sit back and criticize his meals with a fine tooth comb.
Of course I would actually consider dishing up this challenge if I didn’t fear rapid weight gain and the *hunch* that my meals would contain no less than 1,000 milligrams of sodium and come from a box. Just a hunch…
This meal lived up to its recommendations coming from both Marisa and Biz. Plus, it’s healthy to boot, ready in 30 minutes, and reheated like a dream. Not all shrimp dishes reheat well, but this was definitely an exception.
This is a great beginner Indian dish and perfect for someone who doesn’t like much heat!
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Shrimp Korma over Basmati Rice adapted from Cooking Light, June 2011 and Loser for Life
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup light coconut milk
1 small tomato, diced
1 cup frozen green peas
1 lb peeled and deveined large, raw shrimp
1 cup brown basmati rice
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion; saute 2 minutes.
Add flour, ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add curry powder, garam masala and 1/4 tsp. salt; cook 30 seconds while stirring.
Stir in broth and bring to boil. Stir in milk and tomato; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add peas, shrimp and remaining salt; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done.
Spoon 2/3 cup rice into each bowl. Top with 1 1/3 cup shrimp mixture and 2 teaspoons yogurt. Yield: 5 servings.
Nutrition Information (per serving): 352 calories; 8.4 g. fat; 120 mg. cholesterol; 526 mg. sodium; 43.2 g. carbohydrate; 4 g. fiber; 25.6 g. protein
Result: Mild, rich Indian flavor. The cardamom and curry are the predominant flavors. There’s lots of sauce/shrimp mixture to go around, so this is a great dish to serve with an accompaniment like naan 😉 This meal is ready in 30 minutes or less, is low in calories, filling, low-fat, and protein-rich. Yum! Enjoy!
[/print_this]In addition to rolling my eyes at Mr. Prevention’s harsh critiques (and he liked the meal!), I learned something. A few things, actually…in regards to basmati rice.
Basmati rice (brown and white varieties) is about 4x the cost of long-grain rice, and I researched why. Basically, the plant is harder to grow and yields significantly less than other rice crops. The grains are dry and fluffy versus sticky and wet like some rices. Basmati is most popular in India and Indian cuisine because of its great use with sauces.
For me, personally, basmati tastes great and I seem to be better at cooking it than other rices. Because, as I’ve shared, rice is quite the challenge for me 😉
Be well,
For a second there I thought you were going to say that Mark doesn’t like coconut. I had a mini heart attack because I bought Almond Joy gelato for our dessert on Friday 🙂 And pumpkin pie gelato!
This recipe sounds fantastic. Minus the yogurt on top (which I would definitely add) Nick would gobble this up (but probably have the same comment as Mark…where is the spice?!). It’s going on my list!
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He still thinks he doesn’t like coconut but he loves pumpkin 🙂
I actually don’t cook much with rice. It’s one of those foods I have issues with when it comes to preparing. 🙁 However, the shrimp looks fantastic!
I was surprised at how much I loved this dish and how well it reheated, too, Nicole! Originally, I halved the recipe because I wasn’t sure I would like it and of course, I’m the only one eating it here. (I live with BUFFOONS!! HA!) However, next time I’ll definitely make the whole deal for leftover meals!
This looks delicious Nicole! I’m sure this will be another winning recipe (because you KNOW I’ll be testing it out…LOL)
I saw this on Biz’s blog and having been meaning to make it. I love all things coconut. I just need to pick up some spices. I prefer Basmati rice too. My uncle is Persian and that’s the kind of rice his family eats. When they make rice they let the bottom get browned and crunchy. It’s so delicious and everyone fights for a piece!
Personally, I think you are AMAZING for making dinner every night of the week — leftovers are my best friend, lol! (Good thing Mike doesn’t mind! 🙂 ) This looks wonderful…I am always a huge fan of coconut curry sauce! Gorgeous pics too.
I’m with Mr. P on the spiciness. I like my dishes to have heat! Although the good part is that he could probably just sprinkle hot pepper flakes onto his own dish.
Matt prefers basmati rice too. I like it, but I’m pretty indifferent. I never noticed the price difference though. I guess I just never paid attention.
Yum! I have some shrimp in the freezer waiting to be used. Maybe I’ll go Indian? I had someone comment yesterday on my blog saying they aren’t a fan of coconut milk. Hard for me to believe since I love the creamy stuff so much!
I am always looking for new ways to cook shrimp. Looks delicious 🙂
This looks amazing! I love Indian food and am starting to cook more of it at home.
Thanks for the info about basmati rice. Very interesting.
And hey, I’d happily let you cook for me..no complaints! Can’t boys be so spoiled. 😉
I love korma. I can’t wait to make this!
Wow-the dish looks amazing!
I love everything going on in this dish. Yum!
I dont understand how someone could not love everything about coconut. You tell Mr. Prevention that if you cooked for me, I would love every single meal, and do nothing but tell you how delicious it is.
Oh – and once again, this looks amazing.
I don’t love coconut, but I do love this recipe. And the picture at the very top is awesome (the rest are good too, I just like the artistic view of the first one :))
NOM….I’ve been wanting something Indian lately, and I think this will be perfect. I might favor Mr. P a bit, and add a touch of spice. Not too much, maybe just a teensy-weensy bit!! Can’t wait to get my korma-grub on!!! xxoo
Wow, that looks amazing! You can mail me some for tomorrow’s lunch, right? 🙂
Wow, straight to the double-dog dare? At least you didn’t throw protocol out of the window by going straight to the Coup de grâce – the triple-dog dare!
That does look amazing. I just wish tha twe could do more shrimp in our house. Mrs. PhitZone, and one of the little Phits don’t like any kind of seafood.
You cook AND do the dishes! Aww man…I make Nick clean up when I cook. I offered to switch roles but that hasn’t happened yet 🙂
I almost ordered shrimp korma last night at a restaurant. This looks even better and a bit healthier I’m sure!