Indian Coconut Shrimp Curry Recipe (Coconut Curry Shrimp)
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Juicy shrimp. Fragrant curry leaves. Creamy coconut milk. A hint of tamarind. This South Indian–style coconut shrimp curry is everything a weeknight dinner should be: fast, deeply flavored, and better than takeout.
★★★★★
“Just so good. I can’t believe this simple recipe gives you such a an amazing result. Thank you sooo much!”
– Andrew
Table of Contents
Mohit and I discovered shrimp embarrassingly late. Both of us grew up in North India, a landlocked world of mutton and river fish. The first time I tasted a properly made coastal prawn curry, sitting at a small restaurant in Kerala, something clicked. That combination of coconut milk, curry leaves, and tamarind felt like a flavor I’d been missing my whole life.
This Indian coconut shrimp curry is my everyday, back-pocket version of that dish. It draws from the Kerala prawn curry tradition; coconut oil, curry leaves, and a base of onion and tomato, but I’ve streamlined it so you can cook it start-to-finish in 30 minutes without sacrificing any of the depth.
What Is Indian Coconut Shrimp Curry?
Indian Coconut Shrimp Curry is a fragrant, comforting seafood curry made with juicy shrimp simmered in a spiced coconut milk gravy. This curry is inspired by coastal South Indian flavors and comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for both weeknight dinners and special meals.
Unlike restaurant-style shrimp curries that can feel heavy or overly spicy, this home-style coconut shrimp curry is balanced, mildly spiced, and lets the natural sweetness of shrimp and coconut shine through. The dish is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. Make it using my easy recipe.
If you love this, do try my Goan Shrimp Curry (tangy with a coconut-masala paste), Shrimp Moilee (delicate Kerala-style), and Shrimp Masala (bold North Indian style). Each one tells a different story of India’s extraordinary coastal cooking.
Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- Quick & Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes, no marination, perfect for busy weeknights.
- Balanced Flavors: Creamy coconut, tender shrimp, and warming spices in every bite.
- Light yet Satisfying: Feels indulgent without being heavy.
- Versatile: Pairs beautifully with steamed rice, jasmine rice, or butter naan.
- Better Than Takeout: Fresh, homemade curry with clean, wholesome ingredients.
Ingredients
All ingredients are easily available at Indian grocery stores. Check the one near you.
- Shrimp (Prawns) – You can use fresh or frozen shrimp in any size – small, medium, or jumbo. Frozen shrimp are mostly already deveined and cleaned. Thaw them completely before cooking, and pat them dry so they don’t water down the curry. Cooking time varies by size: small = 3–4 min, medium = 4–6 min, jumbo = 6–8 min.
- Coconut Milk makes this easy coconut curry shrimp recipe very creamy and flavorful. Use full-fat for the best texture. Light coconut milk works but gives a thinner gravy. You can use the leftover coconut milk to make this Coconut Milk Rasam or any fruit smoothie, such as Blueberry Strawberry Smoothie. Shake the can well before opening: the cream and liquid separate during storage.
- Oil – You can use any cooking oil of your choice. For an authentic and traditional taste, use coconut oil.
- Spice Powders – You will need some aromatic spices, such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and ground black pepper.
- Tamarind Paste (Tamarind Pulp) gives a lovely tang to the curry. Replace it with lime juice if tamarind paste is not available.
- Curry Leaves – These are non-negotiable. They release an extraordinary aroma when they hit hot oil, defining the South Indian character of this dish. Find them fresh at Indian grocery stores. Dried curry leaves exist, but they are significantly weaker in flavor.
- Others – You will also need onion, dry red chilies, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, fresh tomatoes, and salt to make this shrimp curry recipe. Adjust the green chilies as per your liking.
You can add ½ teaspoon of garam masala at the end of cooking for a nice flavor.
How To Make Indian Style Coconut Curry Shrimp
Step 1: Heat 3 tablespoon coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Once the oil is hot, add 15-20 curry leaves and 1 cup of finely chopped onions. Cook until the onions turn translucent (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
Step 3: Add 2-3 dry red chilies (broken) and 2-3 green chilies (slit in half). Cook for a minute.
Remove the seeds from the dry chilies before adding them if you want a milder curry.
Step 4: Now add 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell is gone (2-3 minutes). Don’t rush this; raw ginger-garlic ruins the final flavor.
Step 5: Add ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes and ½ cup water. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
If you prefer a creamy curry, you can blend the ingredients using a hand blender or a blender at this stage to create a fine paste. Return the paste to the pan and follow the rest of the recipe.
Step 6: Add the following ingredients to the pan and cook for 10-15 seconds.
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Step 7: Now add ½ cup of water and 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 8: Reduce the heat to low. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and cook for 2-3 minutes. Never hard-boil after adding coconut milk. A vigorous boil causes the coconut milk to split, and the curry loses its silky texture.
Critical step: Reduce heat BEFORE adding coconut milk. Keep it at a steady, gentle simmer throughout.
Step 9: Add 400 g of cleaned, deveined medium shrimp and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until just opaque. Do not overcook. Overcooked shrimp turns rubbery and loses its sweet flavor.
Size guide: Small shrimp = 3–4 min · Medium = 4–6 min · Jumbo = 6–8 min. Shrimp is cooked when it curls into a loose C-shape. A tight O-shape means overcooked.
Step 10: Taste the curry and adjust salt and tamarind as needed. You can add ½ teaspoon of brown sugar to balance the curry’s spicy, tangy flavors, but it is optional. Garnish coconut curry shrimp with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Coconut Shrimp Curry FAQs
Making coconut milk at home from fresh coconuts is very easy, and the result is additive-free and much more economical.
To make it, break open a fresh coconut and take out the flesh.
Cut the flesh into small pieces and add it to a blender with 2 cups of water.
Tip: You can also buy pre-sliced coconut at an Indian grocery store to save time.
Blend for 2 minutes.
Pass this mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Press from the back of a ladle to extract as much milk as possible. Discard the leftover coconut or compost it.
Transfer the milk to a glass bottle and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Stir well before use.
Serve this delicious shrimp curry with your favorite rice. Basmati Rice, Brown Rice, my Instant Pot White Jasmine Rice, or any lightly spiced pulao, such as Ghee Rice or Jeera Rice, works well.
You can also serve it with Butter Naan bread or Lachha Paratha. Do not forget to serve Sirka Pyaz and Kachumber Salad on the side.
I personally like to serve this curry a day later, as the flavors deepen as the curry rests.
This creamy coconut shrimp curry can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The curry tastes even better the next day as flavors deepen. Reheat in a pan or a microwave before serving. Add some hot water if the curry has thickened.
It is not freezer-friendly! While thawing, coconut milk can split and alter the texture of the curry, so it is best not to freeze it.
Other Indian Non-Vegetarian Curry Recipes We Recommend
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Indian Coconut Shrimp Curry Recipe (Coconut Curry Shrimp)
Ingredients
- 400 grams medium shrimp (cleaned and deveined)
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil (or any other cooking oil)
- 15-20 curry leaves
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 2-3 dry red chilies (broken)
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste (pulp)
- 1 cup coconut milk
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add curry leaves and onions and cook until onions turn translucent (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add dry red chilies and green chilies. Cook for a minute.
- Now add ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell is gone (2-3 minutes). Don’t rush this; raw ginger-garlic ruins the final flavor.
- Add tomatoes and ½ cup water. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, chili powder, black pepper powder, and salt. Cook for 10-15 seconds.
- Now add ½ cup of water and tamarind paste and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add coconut milk and cook for 2-3 minutes. Never hard-boil after adding coconut milk. A vigorous boil causes the coconut milk to split, and the curry loses its silky texture.
- Add shrimp and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until just opaque. Do not overcook. Overcooked shrimp turns rubbery and loses its sweet flavor.
- Taste the curry and adjust salt and tamarind as needed. You can add ½ teaspoon of brown sugar to balance the curry’s spicy, tangy flavors, but it is optional. Garnish coconut curry shrimp with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Just so good. I can’t believe this simple recipe gives you such a an amazing result. Thank you sooo much!
Thanks for your kind words Andrew
WOW! I made this recipe exactly as written and it is incredible. I pureed the curry before adding the shrimp for a smooth consistency. Rave reviews all around the table. My only regret is not doubling the recipe!
Great to know Michelle
Yummy
Came out wonderfully! This recipe will be part of my routine shrimp recipes now. Thank you!
Tried it for last nights dinner. This was really quick – and super yummy. Basic ingredients – I love this!
Thanks a bunch for the recipe.
I made this for this evening’s dinner and it was delicious. It will definitely go on my make again list
I loved it! It was an easy recipe to follow and just the most amazing flavour.
Happy to hear!
Hi. In the pictorial description, you’ve mentioned tamarind paste, but in the list of ingredients, it’s absent. How much tamarind paste needs to be added, if at all ?
Sorry about it. It’s 1 tbsp.
I have tried five of your recipes including this one . Every recipe was a hit in my family.. I am really lucky to have found your site ..thank you …
I am glad the recipes turned out good for you Swetha :). Keep cooking.