My secret weapon to making tasty, delicious weeknight meals in under 30 minutes: curry paste. It’s one of my favorite pantry staples since it’s packed with flavorful aromatics, relatively cheap, and shelf-stable for a long time.
Ingredients
4 medium scallions
2 medium limes
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (4-ounce) can Thai red curry paste (about 1/2 cup), such as Maesri
2 (about 13-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound large raw peeled and deveined shrimp (16 to 20 per pound)
Cooked rice noodles or steamed rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Trim 4 medium scallions. Cut 3 of scallions crosswise into thirds. Finely chop the remaining scallion and reserve for garnish. Halve 1 of the medium limes, then cut the second lime into 8 wedges.
Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large saucepan, medium Dutch oven, or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 1 (4-ounce) can red curry paste and cook, stirring often, until the paste absorbs the oil and starts to bubble up, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the scallion pieces and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add 2 (about 13-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Juice the lime halves into the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 1 pound raw shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes.
Serve as-is as a soup, or with cooked rice noodles or steamed rice. Garnish with the reserved scallion and serve with the lime wedges for squeezing.
