Kerala has long been known as a spice haven and is referred to as the “Garden of Spices”. It was the largest spice exporter in the world for a long time, going all the way back to 3000 BC. This made it one of the busiest trading ports in the world. When Columbus set sail on his great expedition, he did so with the idea to find a faster trading route to Asia. Hence, when he landed on the Caribbean shores he thought he landed in Asia and named the locals as Indians. There are many stories of how he was trying to find a quicker trading route to Kerala, the largest spice exporter then. The fabulous spices of Kerala are reflected in its cuisine and one of the best is the Kerala Shrimp Fry. The small variety of shrimp is sauteed in a mixture of spices to make a delectable crunchy fried appetizer. These are so yum, you are going to keep popping them in your mouth 🙂

Time: 

• Prep time – 1 hour
• Cook time – 10 minutes

Ingredients: 

• Small Shrimp (Cleaned and Deveined) – 500 g
• Kashmiri Chilli Powder – 1 tbsp
• Garam Masala – 1 tsp
• Fennel Powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves – 10
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method: 

1. Marinate the shrimp with the above ingredients (except the curry leaves) and set aside for an hour
2. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the curry leaves. After 10 seconds, add the shrimp and saute for 5-10 minutes
3. Let the shrimp drain any excess oil by placing over kitchen paper towels
4. Place in a serving dish and enjoy warm 🙂