I always store shrimp in my freezer for busy days. It thaws faster and cooks really quick making it perfect for days when you need a homemade meal in a jiffy. This dish comes together in less than 20 minutes.
Masala Shrimp Ingredient list:
Shrimp (any size will work, but the cooking time will differ accordingly) Red Onion – You can use white onion too, but red onion always works best for Indian dishes. Tomatoes – I used 1 fresh tomato, that added the texture to the masala and also a bit of tomato paste for the gorgeous red color. Spices: Kasuri Methi – Dried fenugreek leaves is the best instant way to add flavors in any Indian curries. Cumin Seeds and Powder Bay Leaves – Dried Bay leaves works better with Indian curries. We call it Tejpata. Coriander Powder Garam Masala – I prefer to use homemade garam masala powder as it gives the best aroma to your curries. Here is a link to my homemade garam masala if you want to try. I used homemade ghee to prepare the dish, but you can use any variety of vegetable oil. The texture of the Masala Shrimp side is not loaded with gravy. I like to keep it dry with the shrimp coated in the spiced masala. You can however add water and increase the quantity of the gravy.
Don’t overcook the shrimp:
The star of this Masala Shrimp side dish are the shrimps, so definitely get good quality shrimp and do not overcook it. Overcooking shrimp makes it tastes like rubber. Perfectly cooked shrimp will have a tender bite and that make the dish tastes amazing.
Steps to prepare this Shrimp with Spices
Marinate the shrimps with salt, turmeric and chili powder for at least 15 minutes. In the meantime, chop the onion and tomatoes and start preparing the masala spices. It’s important to cook the onion and the spices with tomatoes and tomato paste until you see oil separating from the sides. This s will take about 15 minutes. Once that is done, add the shrimp and stir fry with the spices for 3 minutes. Finish it with garam masala, fine chopped cilantro leaves and squeeze lemon juice. Enjoy this Masala Shrimp right away as it tastes best when just cooked served warm.
