Tandoori Masala Shrimp

Tasty. Tangy. Filling. Homemade meal in less than 20 minutes. That’s SHRIMP for y’all PIMPS.

When cooking, I sometimes get lazy – especially when I’m super hungry. The whole point of less than 20 minute meals is that it uses basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen pantry/fridge, and requires little to no effort. This dish is just that – eat it on it’s own, with rice, salad, whatever. Tandoori Masala Shrimp – You’ll be happy and satisfied (insert Michael Scott “that’s what she said” joke here).

Seafood is a staple in Bengali and some South Indian cooking. However, it’s fun to add a North Indian twist to it – especially with an easy to work with protein like shrimp.

Tandoori Masala is a combination of different grounded spices that add a smoky, almost a cherrywood bbq flavor: salt, peppercorns, red chili powder, cumin, cloves, coriander, mace, fenugreek, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, garlic, and cardamom. Depending on the brand you buy, the measurement of these spices vary. However, at the end of the day, it’s your one stop shop to flavortown. These spices mixed with cool yogurt add the perfect balance to this dish.

As a tip: always check to see if the store bought tandoori masala you’re using has salt already added to it in its ingredients! The last thing you want is an over-salted dish without you realizing.

PREP: 10 minutes
TOTAL: 20 minutes
YIELD: 2-4 servings

INGREDIENTS

~3/4-1 lb Frozen-Cooked Shrimp thawed, peeled/deveined/tail-on (41/50ct size, feel free to use tail-off shrimp)
1 cup Plain Yogurt
1 tbsp. Lime Juice
1 tbsp. Minced Garlic (2-3 large cloves)
1/2 tbsp. Minced Ginger (1 inch peeled root)
1/2 tbsp. Chopped Green Chilies (optional)
1 tbsp. Tandoori Masala (Shan or National brand mixes are great; I used National!)
1/4 tsp. Red Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Garam Masala
1 tsp. Olive Oil
Chopped Cilantro (for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse Shrimp with cold water. Dry and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine Plain Yogurt, Lime Juice, Garlic, Ginger, Green Chilies, Tandoori Masala, Red Chili Powder, and Garam Masala. Add in Shrimp, and gently mix/marinate together.
In a large skillet over medium-to-high heat, add Olive Oil. Let heat up for 30 seconds.
Add marinated shrimp to skillet. Let cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes. Gently mix throughout.
Turn off heat. Garnish with chopped Cilantro.
Serve and enjoy!

You can eat it by itself as an appetizer or meal with warm rice! For a carb-free alternative, try it on a bed of mixed greens (spinach, kale, chicory).