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We love curry here at The Café, and if you search our recipe archives, you're sure to find a bevy of variations of delicious Asian/Indian-inspired curry entrées. This Coconut Curry Shrimp was another home run, in fact, my husband took his first taste and paid me a supreme compliment. He said, "This tastes like something from The Cinnamon Club!" "Really?", I said. "Really, the flavor is amazing!" I took a taste and had to agree, it was quite yummy.
The award-winning Cinnamon Club, under executive Chef Vivek Singh, is known as one of London's top restaurants, and, it did not disappoint. The service was wonderful, but the food is what inspired the unforgettable memories. Every bite of this high-end Indian fusion food was fresh, delicious and bursting with flavor. Being a presentation/food styling nut, I was oohing and ahhing over each lovely course. We concluded our evening with a ride home in one of the legendary black British taxi cabs, still reveling in our epicurean exploit.
So now you see why Scott's remark about this curry was such a complimentary tribute to the dinner I served. Are you wondering why this dish would deserve such rave reviews? Although this curry has many of the traditional ingredients, there is a step, which I think, takes the flavor to another level. The coconut flavor is incorporated twofold, with coconut milk as well as shredded coconut, which is pan toasted till golden and fragrant. This toasted coconut is added to the broth or "gravy", and, though it's pureed to yield a smooth, silky sauce, it imparts a fantastic, unique smoky flavor. Lots of fresh spinach and tiny sweet peas simply multiply the layers of deliciousness.
If you want a special treat, give this Coconut Shrimp Curry a try................. close your eyes and let your imagination swirl, and you might just find yourself at The Cinnamon Club with the Westminster Bells pealing in the background ............... Oh, and if you see a couple across the room, quite in love with each other ................ and going crazy over each delicious bite .................... that would be us. 😉
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Coconut Curry Shrimp
Ingredients
- ½ cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened is fine
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon red curry paste, add more if you like it really spicy
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 beef bouillon cube, or 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
- 1-14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 20 ounces light coconut milk, about 1 ½ cans
- 4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 ½ cups tiny frozen peas
Instructions
- Dry toast the coconut by heating a medium non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the shredded coconut and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently. This will take about 10 minutes depending on your heat. Be sure to watch coconut carefully as it can easily burn. Transfer coconut to a bowl and set aside to cool.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the onions and sauté for 8-10 minutes or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and next eight ingredients and cook another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, bouillon cube, toasted coconut and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered for 30 minutes. Next, puree mixture with a stick blender or a regular blender till smooth. If using a regular blender, allow mixture to cool down a bit before blending.
- Add the shrimp and cook for another 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat, or until the shrimp turn pink and opaque and begin to curl. Remove from heat. Add spinach and peas and cover for 2-3 minutes. Serve in bowls with a scoop of jasmine rice, a sprinkle of cilantro and a splash of fresh lime. You could also garnish with fresh basil, chives or green onions.
Nutrition
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Delicious, I added more shrimp than required and it was still delicious! Whenever I make one of your recipes, I'm sincerely pleased. Thank you so much!!!
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Crystal!
I pinned this long ago when you first blogged it, and ust made a highly adapted version of it today based on what i had on hand. It still was SO wonderful!! I served over cauliflower since I'm eating lower carb right now - still so wonderful. Thank you for the fabulous recipe! I haven't een keeping up with blogs like I used to so I hope you and Scott have been well. We're doing fabulous over her! Love, V
I love curry in any form and with shrimp, wow-a meal I will have to try;-)
This looks and sounds amazing!! I love this combo of flavors! Will definitely make!!
Melissa, I actually added chicken at the end of the batch that I made. There was a ton of sauce left but not too much shrimp so I added some rotisserie chicken and it was wonderful!
Ahhh, I forgot that you blend it! That'll make it OK in my book. 🙂 It's the *texture* of coconut that typically bothers me. I will try it. Would chicken be good? I LOVE shrimp, but Matt's not a seafood person. Or I could make it when he's out of town..... The Big Apple is great, but we really did enjoy our time at Lake Gaston. Wow!
This looks so...so good! And although I have never been to the Cinnamon Club, I can see what a complement it must have been 🙂 Love curry!
Happy New Year!
What a mouthwatering picture! I love how the shrimp is arranged in the bowl. I love a good curry.
I've been on a shrimp kick lately but I haven't prepared it with curry. I love it when rice is soaked in so much flavorful sauce! 🙂
I've been on a shrimp kick lately but I haven't prepared it with curry. I love it when rice is soaked in so much flavorful sauce! 🙂
Hi Melissa! So nice to hear from you! Hope you are faring well in the Big Apple! As far as the curry goes, I don't think you would ever know there was shredded coconut in it. You could leave it out but you might want to try it. The sauce is pureed and becomes quite silky before adding the shrimp. You could certainly leave it out as there are lots of other yummy flavors but the coconut definitely adds a delicious flavor. Take care!
What a stunning curry! I love a great curry and this one is a must try. Need to check out the Cinnamon Club if I am ever in the area.
Hi Chris, it's Melissa Shores. I've been craving something with curry for weeks now... so I decided to check your blog tonight and what a beautiful dish. Only problem-- I'm not big on shredded coconut. Would it kill the dish if I omitted it?
Everything about this sounds just wonderful. I adore coconut curries!
My husband isn't keen on curry but I'm pretty sure this would change his mind. Gorgeous photo.
Wow! Your blog is gloriously beatiful! What a delicious looking shrimp dish!!! Happy New Year 😉
First of all, the Cinnamon Club sounds like an absolutely divine restaurant. A trip to London is on my "bucket list," and a meal at the Cinnamon Club sounds like a perfect addition to that trip.
On another note, Christmas Day, we went out to dinner at a Thai restaurant. I got a shrimp curry dish! It was delicious. I am always a sucker for curry, so I will definitely be giving this recipe a try.
Happy new year to you and yours,
Patti
Sounds like very high praise indeed for this curry!
What a beautiful & tasty looking shrimp curry!
So beautifully presented too! MMMMMM!
I wish you your lovely family a happy 2013 filled with really good food, laughter, great health & many adventures too! 🙂 xxx
We love curry here too, this looks wonderful! I have never been to The Cinnamon Club, but it sounds amazing!
Karen, there is actually spinach in my curry but it wilts with the heat and sort of disappears. 4 cups sounds like a lot but it really shrinks up a ton. If you don't have small baby spinach leaves, I would probably roughly chop the spinach. You don't have to add it, the curry will still be delicious but it does add lots of fresh, green nutrients.
Your curry dish looks lovely especially your plating. Sounds like your curry was pretty darn good if your husband compared it to such a lovely restaurant.
I'm not sure which I like more, your coconut shrimp curry or the description of you two at the restaurant. So wonderful for a couple to be so "very much in love" after several decades. You are such a wonderful example to look up to. And I love your curry too. 🙂
Chris, I can't wait to prepare this warming dish. It sounds perfect for our evening meal...it was 2 degrees this morning. I have a question about the recipe...it calls for 4 cups of spinach added after it is taken off the heat but it doesn't look like there is any in the photo. Is it an optional garnish?
This looks so delicious I have copied your recipe into my book to try it! I can't wait...my mouth is watering lol.
This looks so lovely and yummy. But my favorite thing is the way you have plated it, so pretty. I never would have thought of that, and I think the separation makes it even more eye appealing.
Just the name "The Cinnamon Club" is enough to make me want to hop on a plane!
This dish looks delightful!!
I just love these two flavours together. Curry and coconut are a complete match.
You and your Husband are so sweet! I love your romantic stories!!! The soup looks amazing!! Perfect for a chilly night!!
I pinned this to come back to, it looks amazing and I need more shrimp in my life 🙂
I need to make this too. Looks saucy, warming and delicious.
Gorgeous looking dish - great food styling. And the recipe looks outstanding. A+. Thanks for this.
I can't wait to try this, Chris, we're huge curry fans, and this one looks amazing. I like the double coconut flavor technique, and of course you've styled it beautifully. It looks like the cover of a book or magazine.
We love curry here at the Tartine home as well 🙂 I consider curries comfort food! Nice to nosh on them during winter 🙂 Love the colours - the blue of your plate and the red-orange of your shrimp curry. So inviting...
Mary, actually you could use either sweetened or unsweetened, which ever you have on hand. Mine was sweetened because that's what I had in the pantry. A little extra sweetness is fine. It honestly doesn't add too much difference when combined in the "gravy". Thanks for asking, I will clarify this in the recipe. 🙂
What a gorgeous shrimp curry! It is bitterly cold here today and this would warm me up from the inside out! YUM!
This looks delicious! I am assuming you used unsweetened coconut flakes but just want to check before I make this. Thanks!
I have this one printed off. WOW..this will be a great treat. Happy New Year!
I'm with Laura -- love curry, love shrimp. What's not to love. Bookmarked! Pinned!
After your mouth watering description there is no way I could pass up trying this recipe. It's printed and the ingredients are on my shopping list. Happy New Year, Chris.
Such a wonderful memorie about this visit to London. In fact there is a lot of taste that are related to some memories... It's a wonderful thing actually!!!!! Love this recipe and I shall give it a try!
Beautiful presentation!! Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year!!
Drooling - absolutely drooling! What a sweet husband - it does look amazing and I bet it is fantastic. Hope you had a great holiday - and Happy New Year!
I love curry and shrimp, this is a must-try for me! 🙂