Mango Curry Brilliance with Prawns and Jasmine Rice

submitted by rcoen

A vibrant, sweet and spicy Thai-inspired dish guaranteed to dazzle your
senses.

Makes 8 servings

2 cups jasmine rice
3 cilantro roots (see note below)
1 large garlic clove plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon red curry paste (like Thai Kitchen brand)
2 teaspoons curry powder
3 teaspoons ground turmeric
4 cups coconut milk, well-shaken
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons tamarind juice (see note below)
1 small yellow onion, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
1/2 medium orange bell pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
2 tablespoons fish sauce (or nam pla)
1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined (16 to 20 count per pound)
2 large mangos, sliced into 1/4 inch strips (about 3 cups)

Prepare jasmine rice as per box instructions. Cut cilantro root and add to
mortar and pestle along with garlic and salt. Pound away until it
resembles a stringy paste, then transfer to saucepan. Add canola oil, red
curry paste, curry powder and ground turmeric. Place over high heat and
stir constantly until it forms a cohesive paste (about 2 minutes). Add 2
tablespoons of coconut milk and continue stirring constantly until
aromatic (another 2 minutes). Add an additional 2 tablespoons of coconut
milk while stirring for another 2 minutes or so. Then slowly add
remaining coconut milk. Stir in sugar, tamarind juice, onion, bell peppers
and fish sauce; allow mixture to boil for 3 minutes, then set aside. Peel
and slice mango into strips about 1/2 x 2 inches. When rice is ready, add
shrimp to curry sauce and return to medium-high heat. Once shrimp are
perfectly cooked (after about 3 to 5 minutes), add mango to sauce and
serve.
To Serve: Ladle over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Variations:
Its easy to find red curry paste and fish sauce in the ethnic aisle of
your grocery store. Use lemon juice if you cant find tamarind. Note: Cut
Cilantro Root: Most cilantro is sold in bunches without the roots. There
is a tremendous amount of flavor within the roots themselves. To find
cilantro roots, search the produce section of n Asian or Oriental
market. If all else fails, buy a small cilantro plant and pull out a few
sprigs by their roots. Rinse off any remaining soil and cut the stems
about 2 inches from the root. Then, chop (or cut with kitchen scissors)
the entire root into 1/4 inch pieces and transfer chopped root to mortar
bowl. Grind cilantro root with ingredients as per recipe.

Note: Tamarind Juice: Tamarind pulp can be found in almost any Asian or
Oriental food market. For recipes that require tamarind juice, take a
small portion of the pulp and place in a medium bowl. Add enough water to
immerse the pulp (about 3:1 mixture of waterulp). Then gently mash and
stir to release the juices from the fibrous fruit (just grab the pulp and
squish it around). Allow mixture to set for a few minutes. Stir again and
strain into a separate bowl. Add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of water
as needed should the juice become too thick to strain. Difficulty: 3

Time: Preparation: 20 minutes. Total time: 25 minutes. Entertaining:
Excellent!
Extra Equipment: Mortar and pestle, kitchen scissors, spatula.


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