No matter what food is cooked in it or what spices are added, coconut milk never loses its distinct sweet flavor. Instead, it enriches all the other flavors. In this dish from Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India, fresh juicy shrimps are gently poached in herb-laced coconut milk. The spicing here is intentionally kept very subtle, so that the natural flavors of the shrimp and the coconut milk can be relished to their fullest. Yerra Moolee, with its shimmering ivory-white sauce, can be made to taste much hotter than this recipe by increasing the quantity of green chilies.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6

　　2 pounds shrimp, preferably large to medium (about 28–32 shrimp per pound)

　　7 tablespoons light vegetable oil

　　2 cups finely chopped onions

　　2 teaspoons minced garlic

　　1 1/2 tablespoons ground or crushed fresh ginger root

　　2 green chilies, or more, to taste, seeded and minced

　　1/4 teaspoon turmeric

　　2 tablespoons ground coriander

　　3 cups coconut milk

　　1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

　　2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro (or substitute 1 tablespoon dry cilantro leaves)

　　

Step 1

Shell and devein shrimp. Wash them thoroughly, and set aside.

　　

Step 2

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan, and add onions. Over high heat, fry the onions until they turn golden brown (about 10 minutes) , stirring constantly to prevent burning. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic, ginger, and chilies, and fry for an additional 2 minutes. Add turmeric and coriander, stir rapidly for 15 seconds, and add coconut milk and salt. Cook the sauce, uncovered, until it thickens (about 10 minutes). Stir frequently to ensure that the sauce does not stick and burn.

　　

Step 3

Add shrimp, mix, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, for 5–7 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through. Do not overcook the shrimp, or they will become tough and chewy. Check for salt, stir in minced cilantro leaves, and serve.

　　Note

　　This dish has a lot of gravy and must be served with rice. Best, of course, is plain cooked rice; then all the flavors can be enjoyed without any interference from the pilaf spices.

　　From Classic Indian Cooking © 1980 by Julie Sahni. Reprinted with permission by William Morrow and Company, Inc.Buy the full book from Amazon.