Goan Shrimp Curry - Locally known as "Ambot Tik", which translates to sour and spicy, this curry is a beautiful balance of tangy and fiery flavors. The rich coconut-based sauce, infused with tamarind, red chilies, and a blend of aromatic spices, creates a taste that's bold yet comforting.
A visit to Goa is never complete without indulging in its signature seafood dishes, and this shrimp curry stands out as one of the region's most beloved. Every bite captures the essence of coastal India - fresh, vibrant, and full of life. So, roll up your sleeves, get your spices ready, and let's bring a little bit of Goa into your kitchen!
Jump to:
Why you'll love this dish?
- A Burst of Coastal Flavors - This Goan-style Shrimp Curry is a true explosion of coastal flavors. The heat of the spices, the tang of tamarind, and the cream of coconut milk come together to create a curry that's both spicy and sour, with a subtle hint that almost tastes like the sea itself.
- Comforting and Satisfying - Served best with a bowl of steamed white rice, or nei choru, it's the kind of comforting, soul-satisfying meal that any seafood lover will adore. Every bite is rich, flavorful, and deeply warming; it's perfect for a cozy dinner or a special weekend meal.
- Versatile and Adaptable - Not a fan of shrimp? No problem! This curry works beautifully with other seafood too; try it with fish, crab, or even mussels. The sauce is the real star here, and it pairs wonderfully with any catch of the day. Another seafood curry with a little variation that you may love is the Malabar prawn curry.
- A Unique Flavor Experience - Unlike the typical tomato-and-onion-based curries found across India, like the popular chana masala, paneer tikka masala, chicken tikka masala, rajma masala, etc, this Goan version carries an exotic coastal twist. The aromatic blend of spices, coconut, and tamarind gives it a distinctive, mouthwatering flavor that sets it apart and keeps you coming back for more.
Ingredients you need
- Shrimp - de-veined and leave the tail on if you like
- Kashmiri red chilies, garlic cloves, tamarind paste
- Coconut milk and grated coconut
- Spices - Cumin seeds, whole black peppercorns, coriander seeds, turmeric powder
- Tomatoes, onions, ginger
- Curry leaves
- Salt to taste
How to make Goan Shrimp Curry?
Grind to a paste the Kashmiri red chilies, garlic cloves, tamarind paste, turmeric powder, grated coconut, cumin seeds, whole black peppercorns, and coriander seeds
- Step 1: Make a paste of all the spices and coconut mentioned in the ingredients.
- Step 2: Keep the paste ready to use in a later step.
Heat coconut oil in a pan, add chopped onions and ginger, and sautee well.
Next, add chopped tomatoes and continue frying until they are wilted.
- Step 3: Heat oil and add chopped onions and ginger
- Step 4: Add tomatoes and let them cook.
Add the ground paste and let it cook for a while. Next, add the cleaned and de-veined shrimp and mix all the contents.
- Step 5: Add the ground paste and sautee well until the oil leaves the sides of the pan.
- Step 6: Add the cleaned and de-veined shrimp.
Add coconut milk and water as needed to suit your consistency, and bring it to a boil. Add curry leaves and salt. Serve it hot with white rice.
- Step 7: Add coconut milk and cook thoroughly.
- Step 8: Add curry leaves, and the curry is ready to be served.
If you love Shrimp and are looking for more recipes, you will also love the Kerala Shrimp Curry and the spicy red prawn curry, Chemmeen mulakittathu. Thai basil shrimp fried rice and Malabar Prawn Biryani are also great dishes with Shrimp.
Some other coconut milk-based curries worth trying are coconut milk chicken, Thai red curry chicken, and Thai green curry chicken.
Related Recipes
If you tried this Goan Shrimp Curry or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing from you!
Goan Shrimp Curry
Ingredients
- 15 - 20 Shrimp de-veined (leave tail on if desired)
For Masala
- 8-10 Kashmiri red chillies dried (use as tolerated)
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorn whole
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp tamarind paste use less if you like it less sour
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- ½ cup coconut grated
For Curry
- ½ onion chopped
- 1 tomato medium-sized chopped (adjust for sourness)
- 1 tbsp ginger finely cut
- 8 - 10 curry leaves
- 1 cup coconut milk fresh or from coconut powder or canned
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp salt to taste
Instructions
- Clean the shrimp , with a little salt water and lemon and keep aside. You can use fresh or frozen shrimp
- Make a paste of the masala in the "For masala" section by grinding it up.
- Heat the coconut oil in a pan.
- Add chopped onions and ginger and sautee well.
- Next add chopped tomatoes and keep frying until they are mashed up completely.
- Add the ground masala and cook thoroughly until the oil leaves the sides.
- Next add the shrimp and mix all the contents .
- Add coconut milk and mix well.
- Add a little water to bring it to your desired consistency, and bring it to a boil.
- Add curry leaves and salt to taste.
- Goan shrimp curry is ready to be served.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Pin Me!
This shrimp curry is such a comforting and cozy meal. It is also so easy!!
We loved this creamy and comforting curry recipe--the blend of flavors was fantastic!
I so love Goan curries and this one is so good. Thanks for the recipe. Will definitely make it again.
Sign me up for any type of curry! This curry didn’t disappoint at all! So delicious!
Wonderful recipe. Easy to follow and it came together easily. I'll make it again!
This pairs beautifully with white rice, so satisfying and homely . As a seafood lover this is my go to recipe now will be trying with a different fish next time.
This is awesome Nisha - looks so yummy! Saving it up - gotta try this at home!❤
Thank you so much dear , I’m sure you will absolutely love it !
Are the red chilies hot? I love hot and this looks so good!
Thanks a lot Diane.The Kashmiri red chillies are smaller and round compared to the regular ones. It is popular for it's vibrant color and spice that it imparts to the dish.It is apparently hotter than paprika but milder than cayenne.
Interesting! Thanks for the information!
Love Goan food. And this shrimp curry sounds delish! Thank you for sharing Nisha 😍
Thanks much Smitha, I love Goan food as well 🙂