Shrimp and Green Mango Curry

This Shrimp and Green Mango Curry recipe is a great one to make when you want to impress your spouse or friends. It involves a bit of stamina in the kitchen, but the results are worth the effort. Green mango is the special ingredient in this curry - you'll enjoy its subtle sourness combined with that familiar mango taste. If you wish, a mixture of seafood can be added, including scallops or chunks of filleted white-fleshed fish. Lime leaves as well as fresh herbs and green chili all combine to create a shrimp curry you won't be forgetting anytime soon. ENJOY!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• SERVES 2-3
• 12-14 large shrimp/prawns (OR a mixture of shrimp, scallops, and chunks of fish)
• 1 large unripe mango or 2 small (green mangoes should be firm to the touch)
• 2 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass OR 1/2 stalk fresh, finely minced
• 1-2 green chilies (jalapenos work well), de-seeded for less heat
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, grated
• 1 shallot OR 1/4 cup purple onion, diced
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 small cucumber, cut lengthwise into bite-size chunks
• PASTE:
• 8 lime leaflets, OR 4 whole lime leaves (lime leaves consist of 2 leaflets), inner stem snipped out with scissors
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 whole green onions, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• OTHER: oil for stir-frying, plus a little cooking sherry or chicken broth

Preparation:

1. Peel the green mango as you would an apple, throwing the peel away. Now cut the green mango into bite-size pieces (note that mangoes have a large flat stone in the center). Set aside.
2. Place all paste ingredients plus 1/4 of the can of coconut milk in a mini chopper (or a food processor that can mince herbs up fine). Process well to create a fragrant green paste. Set aside.
3. Next, place prepared lemongrass, chilies, galangal or ginger, and shallot or purple onion in a wok or large frying plan together with 2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
4. Stir-fry 1 minute, adding 1-2 Tbsp. cooking sherry or chicken broth when wok becomes dry.
5. Add the green mango and continue stir-frying 1 more minute in the same way.
6. Add the rest of the can of coconut milk, plus the ground coriander and cumin, stirring to combine. Allow ingredients to come to a near-boil, then reduce heat to medium or less (hot enough to keep things simmering).
7. Simmer 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until green mango has softened.
8. Add the shrimp, stirring to incorporate. Continue simmering the curry (stirring occasionally) until shrimp turns bright pink and is plump. This will only take 3 minutes or less. If cooking other types of seafood, it should cook within 3 minutes as well.
9. Add the cucumber chunks and stir to incorporate. Allow curry to simmmer 30 seconds - just enough to heat up the cucumber but not cook it. Remove curry from heat.
10. Now add the green paste you made earlier, stirring the paste in well until it is distributed through the curry.
11. Do a taste-test. Note that this curry can be quite sour due to the sourness of the green mango, so you may have to add a little more sugar to balance it out depending on your preference for sourness as opposed to sweetness. Also add more fish sauce if it's not salty enough, or more chili if not spicy enough.
12. Serve with plenty of Thai jasmine rice, and top with extra fresh basil or coriander if desired. ENJOY!

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