Shrimp with cilantro chutney sauce

This recipe is for the cilantro lovers out there! If you have the cilantro-tastes-like-soap gene, scroll on by! This dish answers the question, how much cilantro can you work into a curry? Here, shrimp are simmered in a green chutney sauce that is made almost entirely out of cilantro. 

Years ago, I made a green chicken curry inspired by chef Aarti Sequeria. This it had a base that was simply blended cilantro and spices. Recently, I came across a recipe for shrimp with cilantro sauce that reminded me of this old favorite. In fact, the author's recipe was inspired by their grandmother's green chicken curry, and he created a variation with shrimp.

I decided to give it a try and added a few tweaks of my own. The original recipe calls for marinating the shrimp in a little bit of baking soda, but I found that the medium-sized rather than large shrimp I buy are tender enough as is, so I skipped that step. Instead of salt, I used Better Than Bouillon to add a deeper umami flavor. Additionally, I replaced Thai chilis with jalapenos to compliment the verdant flavors of the sauce.

Whether you follow the original recipe or try out some of my adjustments, definitely give this simple dish a try. It's perfect for cilantro lovers!

Ingredients
For the cilantro chutney:
1 large bunches of fresh cilantro leaves and stems (from 1 to 2 bunches), washed and roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves 
1-2 jalapenos, stem removed
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 t Better than Bouillon vegetable flavor or 1 t salt
2 t whole cumin seeds (ground is ok if that's all you have)
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 lb large or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

For the curry:
1 T neutral oil
1 t whole cumin seeds (you can use more ground cumin if that's all you have)
1/4 t ground turmeric
1 small onion, diced

Serve with rice and/or naan. Serves 3-4.

For the cilantro chutney and marinating the shrimp: In a blender or food processor, add all chutney ingredients and blend, scraping down the sides of blender as needed into a smooth paste. It will seem like it is not combining at first, but as the cilantro starts to break down, there will be more liquid to help it blend. If it's really not coming together, you can add a couple of T of water. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup chutney with the shrimp until well coated. Marinate for as long as you have time for, ideally, 45 to 60 minutes. Store the remaining chutney separately in the fridge. 

For cooking the shrimp: In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp from marinade, letting excess marinade drip back into the bowl, and add to the now-empty pan in one even layer. Cook shrimp for 30 seconds without moving, then stir and continue to cook until beginning to brown, 1 minute. Remove and set aside.

Add the cumin seeds to the hot pan and cook until they are fragrant, about 10 seconds, then stir in onion and turmeric. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown. Pour in the remaining shrimp marinade and chutney and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp, simmering until cooked through, about 3-4 more minutes.