Nana's Shrimp Curry

So, first thing's first, I must apologize for my complete absence since the end of June. I graduated with my Bachelor of Education degree and was offered a job teaching high school French in Saskatchewan, so I moved back home for July and August before moving across the country. When I lived at home, I had the luxury of not having to cook (and when I did, it was recipes that I have already posted, or one's that were lazy enough that it wasn't worth posting). I moved out here mid-August and have been soo busy with planning and teaching, I haven't really had the time to update this blog.

To make up for my complete absence, I'm going to share my FAVOURITE recipe for shrimp curry -- the one my nana used to make. She passed away almost 7 years ago, and I was the only one in the family who was able to get this recipe from her. So let's get cooking!

NOTE: As is with most recipes from grandparents, measurements are usually eyeballed out and it was tough to be exact with most of this recipe. So the only thing that I have really left "blank" in terms of measurement is the water, just because people have different likes/dislikes when it comes to thickness and amount of curry (and quite frankly, I just kept adding water, little by little, until it looked right, which I know is awful to say when you're trying to keep a cooking blog).

Ingredients:

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. garlic

1 tsp. saffron

1 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. dill powder

½ onion

1 lb. shrimp, thawed and deveined

2 medium potatoes, peeled

½ cup vegetable oil (can substitute with olive oil)

½ can coconut milk

2 tbsp. soya sauce

"1 cup" water (I don't think I used more than a cup of water, so again, add what makes you happy)

Directions:

1. Mix salt, ginger, garlic, saffron, paprika, and dill powder in a bowl. Add water (to your liking, depending on thickness and amount of curry you want, I used about 1/3 cup). Set aside.

Spices!

Spices mixed with water -- see the thickness I went for?

2. Cut up onion. Peel and cut potatoes (let them soak in water to make it easier to peel).

3. Add ¼ cup vegetable oil to frying pan and bring to medium heat. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp are pink (“C” for “cooked”, “O” for “overcooked”).

4. Strain shrimp and put cooked shrimp in a separate bowl.

5. Fill bottom of cooking pot with ¼ cup vegetable oil. Bring to low heat. Put in onions and cook until onion begins to turn brown.

6. When onions turn brown, add spice mixture. Let cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. (You might find that you want to add more water here, since the water will begin to boil off).

7. Add shrimp and sautée until mixed with spices.

8. Add coconut milk and soya sauce. (Again, you might want to add more water to get the thickness you desire, I probably added about 1/2 cup).

I added enough water so my potatoes were still visible, if that helps.

9. Add potatoes, cook on medium heat until potatoes are fully cooked (about 25 minutes).

10. Serve over basmati rice.

I didn't have basmati rice :(
But it was still super-delicious!