Red Curry Shrimp with Pineapple

Chef

Nancie McDermott

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Cookbook

Quick and Easy Thai: 70 Everyday Recipes

Published by Chronicle

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This image courtesy of Shutterstock

Editor's Note: Here is a recipe you may like if you are looking for a Thai food dish for a casual dinner you are planning. Red Curry Shrimp with Pineapple is a more traditional dish that will excite those who are curry fans. This dish is easy to prepare and fun to serve. You can prepare it in under 30 minutes. The suggested red curry paste is made without the roasted cumin, coriander, and other spices normally found in red curry paste. Fresh pineapple is preferable to finish your dish, but canned also works fine too.

This pleasing curry goes together in a few minutes’ time. Follow this as a guideline for making a curry with seafood or fish and any curry paste you like. The base for gaeng kua is a red curry paste made without the roasted cumin, coriander, and other spices ground into the standard red curry paste. Wild lime leaves are traditional, but if you cannot find them, you will still have a wonderful dish. Fresh pineapple is lovely, but canned pineapple works fine, too. With jasmine rice, nests of thin rice noodles or angel hair pasta, and a green salad, this makes an elegant little meal.

Serves4

CostModerate

OccasionCasual Dinner Party

Recipe CourseMain Course

MealDinner

Taste and TextureCreamy, Fruity, Herby, Hot & Spicy, Savory

Ingredients

1½ Cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons gaeng kua curry paste or red curry paste
½ cup water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup drained canned pineapple chunks or crushed pineapple or bite-sized chunks fresh pineapple
6 wild lime leaves, quartered (optional)
¾ pound large shrimp
1/3 cup fresh Asian or Italian basil leaves, plus basil sprigs for garnish

Instructions

In a medium skillet or saucepan, heat ½ cup of the coconut milk over medium-high heat, stirring often, until thickened and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the curry paste and cook a minute or two, pressing and stirring to dissolve it.
Stir in remaining 1 cup coconut milk, the water, fish sauce, sugar, pineapple, and lime leaves (if using), and bring to a gentle boil.
Add the shrimp and basil leaves and cook another minute or two, just until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with fresh basil sprigs, and serve hot or warm.