Red Shrimp Curry....Mumbai continued...

To pick up where I left off, Mrs. Kothari's green fish curry was not the only good thing on the table. To compete with it was a fabulous Red Shrimp curry, with a subtle heat and flavor that brought out the best in the fresh shrimp. She explained to me patiently that although the original/ traditional version of this dish calls for "Methkut", a term used to describe a blend of spices in a specific combination that is native to the state of Maharashtra, she would do her best to give me a substitute combination of spices that would serve well in its stead. This dish literally cooks in minutes once you have the shrimp ready to go and tastes like it took forever.

Recipe for Red Shrimp Curry:

2 lbs Shrimp de-veined, topped and rinsed

1/2 cup oil

1/4 tsp Asafetida

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp garlic paste

2 potatoes sliced thickly

salt to taste

2 cups water.

1. Heat the oil and add in the garlic paste. Lower the heat and as soon as the garlic is fragrant, add in the dry spices and the shrimp.

2. Stir continuously as you saute the shrimp. Once the shrimp is sealed on the outside, add the potatoes and the water and season to taste.

3. Simmer till the shrimp and potatoes are completely cooked. Serve hot with rice.