Shrimp Curry

I've been sporadically posting because I've been sporadically cooking - late August, early September are always crushingly busy times of the year. And, I'm flying away to the land of vermilion buttes and grand gashes in the earth at the end of the week, so I'm about to get a whole lot quieter! I'll resume regular life and regular posting in late September. Until then, please enjoy this simple curry pieced together from disparate corners of Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries. The spices are warm and piquant but don't shout over the briny flavor of the shrimp; its a very tasty bowl of food to cook up quickly on my rare idle night during the busy spell.

Shrimp Curry
Makes 2 servings

*Neutral oil
*3/4 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
*1 teaspoon sugar
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon dried thyme
*1/2 teaspoon paprika
*1/2 teaspoon turmeric
*Heaping 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
*Pinch of cayenne, black pepper, coriander
*1/2 yellow onion, chopped
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1 hot red chili, minced (optional)
*1 softball-sized tomato, chopped
*1/3-1/2 cup coconut milk
*Cilantro for garnish

Toss the shrimp with the spices and pop in the fridge to marinate for about half an hour. Heat a wide skillet over medium high, add a little slick of oil, and then sear the shrimp briefly on each side and transfer to a plate. Turn the heat down a touch and add the onion, chili and garlic to the spiced oil and saute for about 5 minutes before adding the tomato. Cook for another 5 minutes, then blend the softened vegetables in a food processor with coconut milk to thin the mixture. Pour the sauce back into the skillet, add the shrimp, and cook until the shrimp are done, about 4-5 minutes. Serve over rice, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy!