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Experience the Flavors of the Caribbean: Easy Coconut Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice

There’s an undeniable charm to a well-crafted curry, a dish that tantalizes the taste buds with its aromatic spices and comforting warmth. While my palate welcomes most curries, I do draw the line at spice levels that are ‘outrageously crazy’! This particular seafood curry, which I recently had the pleasure of preparing on television, is a brilliant representation of Caribbean Creole cuisine, drawing inspiration from the exceptional cookbook, Flavors of Belize. This book has been a source of culinary adventure for me, even inspiring a Beef Satay with Habanero Peanut Sauce dish in the past.

My journey into the nuances of Caribbean Creole cooking led me to a fascinating discovery, thanks to cookbook author Tanya McNabb: Caribbean Creole is distinctly different from its Louisiana counterpart. While both share a rich heritage of flavor, Caribbean Creole cuisine, particularly evident in Belize, beautifully showcases an abundance of fresh seafood and a generous use of coconut. This Coconut Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice recipe is a quintessential example of these culinary hallmarks, offering a delightful blend of tropical flavors and spices that transport you straight to the sun-drenched shores of the Caribbean.

A Quick & Flavorful Weeknight Delight: Mastering the Caribbean Coconut Curry

One of the most appealing aspects of this Coconut Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice recipe is its remarkable speed and ease of preparation. This isn’t just a delicious meal; it’s a practical solution for busy weeknights, coming together in a mere 20 minutes from start to finish. The coconut rice, with its subtle sweetness and fragrant aroma, takes approximately 20 minutes to cook to fluffy perfection. However, the star of the show, the luscious shrimp curry itself, requires an astonishingly brief 7 minutes of actual cooking time! This makes it an ideal choice for home cooks seeking maximum flavor with minimal effort, proving that gourmet taste doesn’t have to mean hours in the kitchen.

Beyond its speed, the dish boasts a mild and inviting spice level, making it wonderfully family-friendly and suitable even for young palates. The gentle warmth comes from a thoughtful combination of vibrant yellow curry powder and aromatic ground green cardamom. These spices infuse the dish with a comforting, earthy aroma and a subtly exotic flavor that’s both soothing and invigorating. For those who prefer a more fiery kick, don’t hesitate to personalize it by adding an extra dash of your favorite chili sauce or a finely diced habanero pepper, embracing the Caribbean spirit of bold flavors and customization. This balance of approachable warmth and customizable heat ensures everyone at your table will find something to love.

Ingredients Spotlight: Crafting the Perfect Caribbean Curry and Aromatic Rice

The beauty of this Caribbean Creole curry lies in its simple yet powerful ingredients, each playing a crucial role in building the dish’s distinctive flavor profile. Let’s delve into what makes this curry and its accompanying rice so special, highlighting the essence of Belizean cooking.

For the Coconut Curry Shrimp:

Shrimp: Fresh, plump shrimp are at the heart of this dish. Peeled and deveined, they cook quickly and absorb the rich curry flavors beautifully. Their natural sweetness perfectly complements the creamy, spicy sauce. For those looking for alternatives, feel free to substitute with other succulent seafood like sea scallops or firm white fish chunks such as grouper, mahi-mahi, or snapper, all of which would be equally fantastic and lend themselves well to the curry base.
Coconut Oil: More than just a cooking fat, coconut oil adds another layer of subtle coconut flavor and aroma, complementing the coconut milk perfectly and contributing to the tropical profile of the dish.
Aromatics: Minced garlic, freshly grated ginger, and finely diced onion form the foundational aromatic base. As they sauté, they release their pungent, sweet, and slightly spicy notes, creating a rich and fragrant starting point for the curry sauce.
Bell Pepper & Tomatoes: Diced green bell pepper adds a touch of crisp freshness, a mild sweetness, and a vibrant color. Deseeded and diced tomatoes contribute a bright, tangy counterpoint to the richness of the coconut, rounding out the vegetable medley and adding essential acidity.
Spices: Crushed cardamom pods are a distinctive element here, offering a unique, citrusy, and slightly floral warmth that sets this Caribbean curry apart from others. Yellow curry powder provides the classic curry essence, while freshly ground black pepper adds a touch of familiar heat and depth, enhancing all the other flavors.
Hot Sauce: Used “to taste,” this allows for personalized heat. A traditional Caribbean pepper sauce like Scotch Bonnet, or a more accessible option like sriracha, can be used to dial up the spice as desired, adding that signature Caribbean kick.
Liquids: Seafood or chicken stock forms the savory base, adding umami depth and helping to build a rich consistency. The undeniable star liquid, however, is full-fat coconut milk, which imparts incredible creaminess, luxurious richness, and that quintessential tropical flavor, transforming the curry into a silky, luxuriant sauce.
Fresh Cilantro: A generous sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro at the end brightens the dish with its herbaceous, fresh notes, completing the flavor symphony and adding a beautiful pop of color.

For the Coconut Rice:

White Rice: Long-grain white rice is ideal here, cooking up fluffy and separate, perfect for soaking up every drop of the delicious curry sauce. Its neutral flavor provides a wonderful canvas for the coconut.
Coconut Milk & Water: The magic of coconut rice comes from cooking the rice directly in a balanced mixture of full-fat coconut milk and water, infusing every grain with a delicate sweetness, creamy texture, and irresistible tropical aroma.
Salt: A crucial pinch of salt balances the sweetness of the coconut milk and enhances the overall flavor of the rice, ensuring it’s perfectly seasoned.

The television crew who tasted this dish loved it so much that the entire platter was devoured just minutes after filming wrapped! This speaks volumes about its irresistible appeal and confirms its status as a crowd-pleaser.

Visual Guide: Coconut Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice Recipe Video

For those who prefer a visual demonstration, watching how effortlessly this delicious Caribbean Creole curry comes together can be incredibly helpful. This video guides you through each step, ensuring a perfect result every time you prepare this vibrant dish.

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Coconut Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice Recipe

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Servings: 4

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Coconut Curry Shrimp:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 onion, diced
1 cup green bell pepper, deseeded, diced
2 tomatoes, deseeded, diced
2 cardamom pods, crushed
1 tablespoon curry powder (yellow or Madras)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons hot sauce, to taste (e.g., Caribbean pepper sauce or sriracha)
2 cups seafood or chicken stock
2 cups coconut milk (full-fat recommended for richness)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish

For the Coconut Rice:

2 cups white rice (long-grain preferred)
2 cups coconut milk (full-fat)
1 cup water
1 tsp salt

Instructions

To make the Coconut Curry Shrimp:

In a large cast-iron pan or frying pan, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, diced onion, bell peppers, and diced tomato.
Sauté these aromatic vegetables until they are tender and fragrant, which should take about 5 minutes. Stir in the crushed cardamom pods, curry powder, freshly ground black pepper, and hot sauce. Continue to cook for another minute, stirring constantly, to allow the spices to become fully aromatic and release their full flavor.
Add the shrimp to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, or until they just start to turn pink and opaque. Immediately remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside. This crucial step prevents the shrimp from becoming tough and rubbery from overcooking.
Pour the seafood or chicken stock and coconut milk into the pan with the sautéed vegetables. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly and the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a rich and cohesive curry base.
Return the partially cooked shrimp to the pan with the reduced sauce. Stir in the fresh cilantro and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, just long enough for the shrimp to finish cooking through and absorb the final, vibrant flavors of the curry. Serve immediately on a generous bed of freshly cooked coconut rice.

To make the Coconut Rice:

In a large saucepan, combine the white rice, coconut milk, water, and salt. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low, cover the saucepan tightly with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is fully absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy. It’s important not to lift the lid during cooking to retain all the steam. Once cooked, remove from heat and let it sit, still covered, for another 5 minutes before fluffing gently with a fork.

Tips for the Best Coconut Curry Shrimp and Rice

Achieving a restaurant-quality meal at home is easier than you think with a few expert tips that will elevate your Caribbean curry experience:

Don’t Overcook the Shrimp: This is arguably the most important tip. Shrimp cook very quickly, and overcooked shrimp become tough and rubbery. Sautéing them briefly until they just turn pink before removing them, and then adding them back in at the very end of the sauce simmering, ensures they remain tender and succulent.
Quality Coconut Milk: Always use full-fat coconut milk for both the curry and the rice. This provides the richest flavor and the creamiest texture, which is crucial for the authentic and luxurious taste of Caribbean Creole cuisine. Lite coconut milk simply won’t yield the same depth.
Fresh Aromatics are Key: Always opt for fresh garlic and ginger. Their vibrant, pungent, and sweet flavors make a significant difference in the overall taste of the curry compared to their powdered counterparts, offering a brighter and more complex aroma.
Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Before serving, always taste the curry and adjust seasonings as needed. You might find it benefits from a little more salt, a squeeze of fresh lime juice for brightness and acidity, or additional hot sauce to achieve your preferred level of heat.
Fluff the Rice Gently: After the coconut rice has simmered and rested, use a fork to gently fluff it. This separates the grains, making it light and airy, and perfectly prepared to soak up the delicious, rich curry sauce.

Variations to Explore: Customizing Your Caribbean Feast

While this recipe for Coconut Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice is perfect as is, it’s also incredibly versatile and open to creative adaptations, allowing you to tailor it to your personal preferences or what you have on hand:

Protein Alternatives: As mentioned, succulent sea scallops or firm white fish like grouper, cod, or even swordfish are excellent substitutes for shrimp, offering a different texture and flavor profile. For a poultry option, diced chicken breast or thighs can be used; simply cook them fully before adding the stock and coconut milk. For a delightful vegetarian version, substitute shrimp with hearty chickpeas, firm tofu cubes (pan-fried until golden), or a vibrant medley of vegetables like sweet potatoes and spinach.
Boost Your Vegetables: Enhance the nutritional value, color, and texture of your curry by adding extra vegetables. Baby spinach can be stirred in at the very end until just wilted. Diced carrots, green beans, or even some bamboo shoots can offer an interesting crunch and sweetness.
Spice Level Customization: If you love intense heat, consider adding a whole Scotch Bonnet pepper (pierced but not cut) during the simmering stage for maximum flavor infusion without an overwhelming spice level. For a more direct kick, finely dice a portion of a chili pepper and add it with the other spices. Alternatively, a pinch of cayenne pepper can be stirred in with the curry powder.
Herb Variations: While fresh cilantro is traditional and adds beautiful freshness, if you’re not a fan, a sprinkle of fresh parsley or even Thai basil can offer a different, yet complementary, herbaceous note that still brightens the dish.
Citrus Brightness: A squeeze of fresh lime juice over the finished curry can significantly brighten the flavors, adding a zesty counterpoint to the richness of the coconut milk and enhancing the overall Caribbean profile.

Embrace the Caribbean Culinary Spirit with This Unforgettable Dish

This Coconut Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice is more than just a meal; it’s an invitation to explore the rich, diverse, and vibrant culinary traditions of the Caribbean. It’s a testament to how simple, fresh ingredients, when combined with thoughtful seasoning and cooking techniques, can create an explosion of flavors that is both comforting and exhilarating. The creamy, aromatic curry, with its gentle warmth and complex spice notes, paired with the subtly sweet and fragrant coconut rice, creates a harmonious balance that is sure to become a cherished favorite in your household.

Whether you’re hosting a casual dinner party, looking for an impressive yet easy meal, or simply seeking a quick and satisfying weeknight solution, this recipe delivers on all fronts: speed, exquisite flavor, and family-friendliness. The mild spice profile makes it accessible to everyone, while the option to customize ensures it can cater to any preference, from a gentle warmth to a fiery Caribbean kick.

We encourage you to embark on this delightful culinary journey and experience the unforgettable tastes of Belizean-inspired Caribbean Creole cuisine. We are confident that, just like the television crew who devoured it minutes after filming, you’ll find yourself reaching for seconds. Enjoy every delicious bite!

Tried this recipe? We’d love to hear how it was! Share your experience and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.