Shrimp Korma turned Vindaloo

On Sunday we stopped in at one of my favorite stores any where - Trader Joe's!  I love Trader Joe's!!!  It has so many awesome products and is very reasonably priced.  The only problem is that the closest one is at least 45 minutes away so I don't get there nearly as often as I'd like.  This time I picked up the usual things I get there - low sodium chicken and veggie broths, pita chips, coconut milk, Kerry Gold Irish butter and gnocchi. I also got some of the best ginger snap cookies I've ever had. I would've picked up some wine too but it was Sunday! On this particular trip I found  some fresh garlic Naan which is an Indian bread similar to flatbread.  That is what lead me to tonights dinner. 

If you follow this blog for long, you'll discover that I love everything about food.  I like to find recipes and then modify them to make them healthier.  When I don't have time to come up with my own recipes, I turn to Cooking Light magazine and cookbooks.  I have every issue of the annual recipes cookbooks since 1996 and have found some of my all time favorite recipes from those issues.  Tonight I decided to make the Shrimp Korma recipe from the June 2011 issue but I wanted something a bit spicier.  Hence, my Kormas reinvention as a Vindaloo!!  So here's the recipe from Cooking Light with my modifications. 

 

Shrimp Korma with Basmati Rice

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons butter (I used canola oil)
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder (I used 1T of Vindaloo seasoning from Penzey's Spices)
• 2 teaspoons garam masala (I used 1t)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided (I did not add the salt)
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup diced tomato
• 1/4 cup frozen green peas (I used 2/3 cup)
• 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 4 cups hot cooked basmati rice
• 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt (I forgot to pick some up!)

Preparation

• 1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add flour, ginger, and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add curry powder, garam masala, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Stir in broth and 1/3 cup water; bring to a 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 about 2/3 cup rice into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with about 1 cup shrimp mixture and 2 teaspoons yogurt.

Adam Hickman, Cooking Light
JUNE 2011

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/shrimp-korma-basmati-rice-50400000112992/

Whenever I have Indian food I think of Bulgaria!  I know that sounds weird but to me it makes perfect sense!  For the past two summers we've vacationed in Bulgaria with our awesome friends from Ireland.  Their daughter loves an Indian restaurant called "Mind the Step" that is right near our apartment so we always go there on our first night. Every time I get a craving for Indian food, I think of my Irish friends and the great times we've had in Bulgaria!  This meal definitely took me right back to the summer on Sunny Beach!!  This one's for you Iz !!