Shrimp Curry

When dinner doubles up as virtually effortless and restaurant quality, chances are it’s immediately going in my permanent meal rotation. And spoiler alert: Shrimp Curry is just that.

Shrimp Curry

Packed with gigantic shrimp, sweet red pepper, baby corn and meaty mushrooms, this easy curry is hearty and healthy. With warm red curry flavor, hints of lime and peanut butter in the mix this easy sauce has an essence of a peanut sauce in curry form. In a slight departure from my previous red curry recipes, what makes this version of Shrimp Curry ultra creamy is the addition of plain non-fat yogurt (Thanks AE Dairy!) instead of coconut milk saving ample calories and a significant amount of fat.

We serve it with steamed jasmine or brown rice, a ton of chopped peanuts and cilantro.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients in Shrimp Curry

Shrimp. We use large 8-12 count shrimp. This means for every pound of shrimp we should have anywhere from 8-12 shrimp. We use 1/2 pound.

Veggies. Versatility comes in big here so you can use virtually any favorite veggies. We like to use red pepper, baby corn and shiitake mushrooms.

Red curry paste. There are a ton of curry pastes out there and while not all are created equal, we always try to keep things accessible for you guys so whatever you can find at your local grocery store will work wonderfully.

Brown sugar. I love the sweetness and caramelized flavor brown sugar adds. If you don’t have it mirin or honey will work in its place.

Chicken broth. Because we are opting out of coconut milk this time around, we need to add a liquid that will act as a sauce before we stir in the yogurt at the end. Chicken broth works great here. Make sure to buy a low-sodium broth so you can control the salt.

Peanut butter. While not traditional in red curry, we’re kind of breaking rules here anyways so let’s add a nutty flavor.

Lime juice. Every sauce needs a bit of acid, here we find it with lime juice. Rice vinegar would also work.

Basil. I normally try to find Thai basil but my store had none to be found so regular basil it was.

Yogurt. As always when it comes to dairy brand of choice we use AE Dairy low-fat yogurt. It’s an item when keep in our fridge at all times for breakfast and lunch but I also love to swap it out for sour cream or heavy cream in many of our dinner recipes. As aforementioned, I wanted to keep this Shrimp Curry on the healthy side so we swapped out traditional coconut milk for yogurt. A move that proved too be equally creamy, tangy and delicious.

Of course we love the taste of AE Dairy yogurt but I love that it’s packed with nutrients including Vitamin D (which isn’t common in most low-fat yogurt). It’s brimming with probiotics and protein and just generally a good item to have in your diet.

The only thing you want to watch when cooking with low-fat dairy of any kind is to add it in slowly or at the very end of the cooking process so the yogurt doesn’t break and curdle.

Let’s make Shrimp Curry

Cook the shrimp. Start by patting the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Next, sprinkle then generously with salt and pepper.

Heat a large pan to a medium heat. Add some oil and then cook the shrimp. Remember even large shrimp cook really quickly and the cook a bit more later in the sauce so be sure to sear them only. When one side is pink (after about a minute) flip over and sear the other side for 30 seconds to a minute.

Cook the veggies. Remove the shrimp from the pan and a liittle bit more oil. Add the onion and pepper. Saute for a few minutes. When the veggies start to wilt, add the mushrooms. Cook another minute or two and add the mushrooms and some salt. When the shrooms are softened, stir in the red curry paste.

Make the sauce. Cook the curry paste for a minute or two then add in the chicken stock, brown sugar, more salt, lime juice, and peanut butter. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the veggies are soft and the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.

Finish it off. Add the shrimp, basil and baby corn to the sauce. Simmer a few more minutes until the basil has wilted and then shrimp are cooked through. Remove from the heat and add the yogurt a little at a time until it’s combined.

Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped peanut and cilantro. Serve with rice.

Can I make Shrimp Curry in advance?

Yes! Just sear the shrimp and store it separately than the sauce. Do not add the yogurt. When you’re ready to serve bring the sauce up to a simmer and add the shrimp. When the shrimp are warm, remove from the heat and add the yogurt as directed.

Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

• Don’t overcook the shrimp.
• Season as you go. When building a quick sauce you want to season with salt in each step to build complex flavor.
• Don’t add the yogurt when the sauce is over the heat. This will make the yogurt curdle. Simply take the sauce off the heat and add the yogurt a little bit at a time, stirring in between each addition.
• Shrimp curry is super versatile. If you like spice, add red pepper flavors. If you love acid, think about adding extra lime juice.