Shrimp Curry Recipe

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Shrimp curry recipe

A very quick shrimp curry recipe.

Using storecupboard ingredients and a pack of frozen shrimp, you can have this ready almost as quickly as a takeaway.

Using a curry powder lessens the need for lots of different spices in your cupboard - ideal if you want a curry for one person as things have a tendency to go out of date if you don't use enough.

The first job is to defrost your shrimp if they are frozen.

Tip them into a sieve and let them sit over a bowl.

You can run them under tepid water to hasten the process a bit, then leave them to drain whilst you cook the curry sauce.

Defrosting shrimp
Chopped tomatoes
Curry powder, oil and onion

For Four:

  • 2 cups (8 oz, 225g) defrosted shrimp
  • 2 T vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion - chopped
  • 1 or 2 T curry powder
  • 2 cup size (14 oz, 400g) chopped tomatoes or passata

 I use up to 2 Tablespoons of curry powder, but I suggest you start with one in case it's too strong for you.

First of all, peel the onion, cut it in half and dice it.

Cut onions

This is the easiest way - cut from root to tip, then turn the chopping board and cut across the slices - you can see here how you end up with small dice.

Chopping onion
Chopped onion

Put 2 T oil into your pan.

Bring it up to heat and add the onion.

Fry gently for around  3 minutes until they are softened.

Frying onion

Add the curry powder.

Stir it in well and cook over a medium heat for about one minute.

This will ensure the spices release their flavor and will also make a roux that will help the finished sauce be thick instead of watery.

Add curry powder to onion

Add your chopped tomatoes or passata.

Stir it in well and allow to cook for about 15 minutes.

Give it a stir every so often - the sauce will thicken as it cooks due to the action of the cooked spices and oil which have made a natural thickener.

Add tomatoes to onion and curry

You can see here how thick the sauce has become during this cooking time.

Add the shrimp to the sauce and let them heat through for a couple of minutes


Simmering shrimp curry

The shrimp (prawns) really only need enough time to heat through properly - any longer and they'll toughen up and be chewy rather than succulent. 

Adding shrimp to curry sauce

Serve with boiled rice for a quick meal.

Poppadoms, mango chutney and minty yoghurt are also good as sides with this shrimp curry recipe.

You may also like these recipes

Prawn curry

Quick Prawn (Shrimp) Curry

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Indian Fish Recipes

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Salmon Massala

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Shrimp Curry Recipe





By , Mar 27, 2017



Shrimp Curry Recipe



A very tasty, quick and simple basic shrimp curry recipe that you'll be able to put together from store cupboard ingredients, quicker than you can order a takeaway.





Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4

Main Ingredient: shrimp, onion, passata, curry powder