Jamaican curry shrimp

Last Updated on August 31, 2019

Jamaican curry shrimp recipe – seafood lovers will go crazy for this delicious, flavoursome Island shrimp dish that’s so easy to make from scratch.

This Jamaican seafood cuisine is a favourite of mine as it brings back fond memories of my youth. If you adore Caribbean seafood that is relatively simple to prepare and equally as tasty then this Jamaican curry shrimp has your name written all over it.

This is my mother’s recipe because I think she is queen of making the tastiest and pretty darn easy curry shrimp in my family. I asked her 100 times how to perfect it  her way and watched her over and over for years. Now that I have my own cooking website I’m pleased to share a taste of home with you all and hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have.

Our recipe has it’s own adaptation, for instance we don’t include bell peppers in the curry sauce. This is purely down to preference but you will find much Jamaican shrimp curry recipes will have peppers. We also include some paprika and my all purpose seasoning blend in our curry, again that’s just how we like it.

Tips for fast tracking Jamaican curry shrimp

The great thing about this shrimp dinner is that it can be prepared the night before. It’s simply as case of whatever works out best for you. You have the option of chopping up the onions, scallions and garlic overnight, ready to use ahead of time.

Alternatively, you can cook the curry sauce overnight and set aside so if you’re busy with work or chores during the day, all you’ll need to do is add the shrimp to the sauce which makes things much more convenient.

How to make Jamaican curry shrimp

In terms of what ingredients, you will need the following;

• Curry powder
• All purpose seasoning (I used my homemade blend)
• paprika
• tomato paste
• scallion
• onion
• garlic
• coconut milk
• hot water
• Himalayan pink salt

Jamaican curry shrimp with coconut milk

I found the more precise you are with measurements and ingredients the better the overall results. There is no need for a thickener since the fat from the coconut milk will congeal and add volume to the sauce. Coconut milk is a integral part of the cuisine for that velvety smooth sauce.

Ingredient ratio – You don’t need a lot of onion for this recipe, I find too much onion, curry powder and tomato paste can be overpowering. You really don’t need a large quantity of any of these ingredients because too much of one ingredients especially those mentioned can ruin the dish.

I use a very very small onion to make this recipe always, if I don’t have a small onion then I simply use half of a medium sized onion but never a whole large one because that would be too much.

Curry sauce – The curry sauce should be made first before adding the shrimp. The sauce is made with all of the ingredients listed above and let to thicken up for about 10 minutes prior to adding the shrimp.

Adding the shrimp – Only add the shrimp once you or your guests are ready to eat, don’t re-heat the shrimp as the texture will change and only add the amount of shrimp that you intend to consume. It goes without saying as it why you should do so.

Cooked vs raw shrimp – I’m always partial to using raw large shrimp because they are less likely to overcook. If you are new to cooking seafood, I would recommend using raw shrimp. They require a slightly longer cooking time than cooked shrimp and are less inclined to over cook.

On the other hand, cooked shrimp only needs to be heated through prior to serving so timing is very crucial to avoid overcooking and compromising the texture.

Shrimp quantity – Speaking of shrimp, this recipe is for a quantity of 380g of shrimp. I made this recipe using two bags that came up to that amount. I always make curry shrimp in small batches for quality control and precision.

Can I make this shrimp dish without a dutch pot?

Yes, of course, most Caribbean households defer to the dutch pot for cooking stews, however, a deep frying pan works just as well.

Curry shrimp Jamaican style is……..

• Delicious
• Bold
• So flavoursome you will want it over and over again

What can I serve my curry shrimp with?

• Jamaican curry shrimp and rice is a favourite
• Sweet potatoes (paleo option)
• Pumpkin
• Vegetables
• Plantain

Can I use low fat coconut milk instead?

If you are worried about the fat content, there’s the option of using low fat milk instead. If you do use this type of milk you will need to mix it with a tablespoon of starch to help thicken up the sauce.

Jamaican curry shrimp – the steps in pictures

Saute the garlic, onion and scallion until translucent and soft.

Add the tomato paste, stir then pour in the hot water and sprinkle in to the sprigs of thyme

Pour in the coconut milk into the dutch pot

Add your spices – curry powder, all purpose seasoning and paprika followed by the raw shrimp

 

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