Spicy shrimp curry with Sichuan peppers and Black peppers...Recipe with Indo-Chinese Twist - Schezwan Prawns with Garlic Tadka.

Fresh wild caught shrimps from NC coast were put on sale at local  grocery super market for $6.99 lbs. which are otherwise priced @ 15$ per lbs. They don't sell them regularly so very few times we get to enjoy wild caught shrimp, rest of the time farm grown prawns/shrimps  are available. I made spicy shrimp curry with Indo-Chinese twist. I have used whole sichuan peppers but cooked this curry in Indian manner, completed cooking with garlic tadka.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lbs - Ex. large 10 shrimp (I used wild caught from NC coast, any type of raw shrimp is ok.)
• 1 large size onion - finely chopped
• 8-10 cloves of garlic - thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1 medium size tomato - diced (1 cup yield)
• 2-3 whole dry red chilies - cut into 1 inch size pieces ( 5-6 pieces)
• 1 Tb.spoon sesame oil + 1 T.spoon for Garlic tadka/tempering.
• 1 T.spoon - chili oil (optional - in absence you can increase sesame oil quantity in garlic tadka.)
• 1 T.spoon - red chili powder
• 20-25 whole sichuan peppers
• 1 T.spoon - whole black peppers
• 1 Tb.spoon - soy sauce
• 1 Tb.spoon - Vinegar
• 1/2 T.spoon - tapioca flour or Rice flour or cornstarch
• Any herb of your choice to garnish.

Cooking Method :

1. Clean and devein shrimp. Very lightly marinate with salt.
2. Combine black peppers and sichuan peppers - grind to fine powder.
3. Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a medium size saute pan. Add pieces of  dry red chilies, sizzle for 15-20 seconds or until chili color picks little darker shade. Add chopped onions, saute for 7-8 minutes over medium heat until onions turn soft.
4. Add black pepper and sichuan pepper ground  powder, 1 tsp red chili powder - mix well, saute for 2 minutes over medium low heat. If mixture gets too dry, spray little water.
5. Place marinated shrimp into the saute pan, increase heat to medium high. Mix well with onion-pepper mixture. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add 1-2  tbsp water if mixture sticks to pan bottom.
6. Now Pour in 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp red chili oil  and 1 tbsp vinegar. Stir and mix well.
7. Add diced tomatoes - continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes on medium low heat covering with lid.
8. I kept thick gravy because this is very spicy dense curry, little is enough with roti or rice. You may add little water when you add diced tomatoes and to thicken the gravy add 1/2 tsp tapioca flour or rice flour or cornstarch dissolved in water. I had added 1/2 cup water and sprinkled little tapioca flour to get thick gravy. Check salt level,  add if necessary. I didn't add salt because soy sauce made it enough salty.
9. Finally heat 1 tsp oil in a small saute pan or tadka pan. Add lengthwise sliced garlic.Stir fry for 30-40 seconds until they turn slightly brown.  Take off the pan from heat, pour it  over shrimp curry. Mix well, garnish with your choice of herb. Enjoy with rice or roti. If you want to skip Garlic tadka / tempering step then add garlic after you finish sauteing onions, stir fry for one minute before adding pepper powder.

Note : Vegetarians can try this recipe with baby potatoes, Nutrela soy chunks, mix blend of frozen or fresh vegetables also this curry will taste great with any variety of koftas.This is very spicy curry, if you need mild heat  then skip adding red chili power and reduce quantity of dry red chilies.