Jamaican Curry Shrimp

Huge, bold, tropical flavors from coconut milk and curry powder season juicy shrimp for a mouthwatering stew. It's flavor-packed yet surprisingly straightforward to make.

Course Main

Cuisine Caribbean

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 445kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

1-1½ pounds (450-680g) extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper to taste (see notes)
1 teaspoon (2g) Jamaican curry powder
2 tablespoons (28ml) cooking oil (canola, sunflower, or avocado works fine)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 large cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon minced garlic)
2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme, minced (or ½ teaspoon dried)
1-2 tablespoon (6-12g) Jamaican curry powder
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon (15g) tomato paste
½ cup (70g) sliced carrots, blanched or frozen (optional)
½ red or green bell pepper, diced (or both red and green)
2 green onions, chopped
1-1½ cups (236-350ml) unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup (236ml) broth or more (see notes)

Instructions

Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and curry powder. Sauté until barely opaque and slightly curled. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add onions, garlic, thyme, and curry powder to the same pan, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. If using scotch bonnet pepper, add it at this time.
Add tomato paste, optional carrots, bell pepper, and green onions, followed by coconut milk and broth. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 7-10 minutes.
Toss in the shrimp and heat through. Adjust for salt, pepper, and thickness. Enjoy!

Notes

Salting shrimp to taste is easy. Start with ¾ teaspoon per pound of cleaned shrimp. You can always add more later.
I used chicken broth in this recipe, but making your own shrimp broth is easy. Cover the shrimp shells with some chopped celery and garlic in a saucepan and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the water reduces by half, then strain and use.
You can use habanero pepper instead of scotch bonnet pepper, or add a ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (adjust to taste) if you want some heat. If not, leave it out completely.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition