Shrimp Moilee Recipe
Shrimp Moilee (Prawn Moilee) is a Kerala-style shrimp curry that is creamy, mildly spiced, and very delicious. Make it using my easy recipe.
Here are some more Indian shrimp recipes that you may like: Shrimp Vindaloo, Goan Shrimp Curry, Coconut Shrimp Curry, Shrimp Masala, and Shrimp Pulao.
Our items from India are now set up in the house here in Bentonville, and we are mostly back to a regular life. I am also trying to shoot new recipes almost every day and share them here on the blog.
You all gave a lot of love to my Fish Moilee recipe, so I thought to make a shrimp version of it. I made a few adjustments to adapt the recipe for use with shrimp instead of fish, and the result was just as good. Do try my shrimp moilee recipe!
About Shrimp Moilee
Shrimp Moilee is a traditional Kerala-style shrimp curry cooked in a delicately spiced, creamy, coconut milk gravy. This dish perfectly balances the mild heat from green chilies with the natural sweetness of coconut milk, complemented by the slight tang of tomatoes and tamarind.
This comforting and light curry is quick and easy to make. It comes together in under 30 minutes and is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
Serve it with appam, steamed rice, idiyappam, Malabar parotta, or a crusty bread for a wholesome meal.
Ingredients
To Marinate The Shrimp
Shrimp – Use fresh or frozen shrimp (prawns) to make this curry. If using frozen shrimp, thaw them before marinating.
Make sure the prawns are cleaned and deveined before using them in the recipe.
Others – You will also need turmeric powder, lime juice, black pepper powder, and salt.
To Make The Shrimp Moilee Curry
Oil – For an authentic taste, make this curry in coconut oil. If it’s not readily available, use any cooking oil you prefer.
Whole Spices – You will need cloves (laung), green cardamoms (hari elaichi), cinnamon stick(dalchini), and brown mustard seeds.
Coconut Milk – This curry is cooked in thin coconut milk, and later, thick coconut milk is added to make it creamy and rich. You can either make coconut milk at home or use a canned version.
If making it at home, the first extract is the thick milk, and the second extract is the thin milk.
If using canned milk, then mix 1.7 oz (50 ml) of it with 5 oz (150 ml) water to make thin coconut milk.
Spice Powders – This curry is mildly spiced using coriander powder, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, and Kerala garam masala powder.
If Kerala garam masala powder is unavailable, use regular garam masala powder instead.
Others – You will also need curry leaves, green chillies, onions, fresh ginger, garlic cloves, tomato, and tamarind paste (tamarind pulp) to make this shrimp moilee recipe.
How To Make Prawn Moilee
Marinate The Shrimp
Rinse 350 g of shrimp thoroughly with water and drain well.
Add them to a bowl along with the following ingredients and mix well.
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Set aside.
Fry The Shrimp
Heat 3 tablespoon coconut oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the marinated shrimp to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the fried shrimp on a plate and set aside.
Make The Shrimp Moilee Curry
Heat the oil in the pan for a few minutes, allowing the water released by the shrimp to evaporate.
Now add the following ingredients to the pan and fry for 3-4 seconds.
- 3-4 cloves
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
Add 2 cups of thinly sliced onions, 2 teaspoon grated ginger, and 2 teaspoon chopped garlic, and cook until the onions turn pinkish. (5-6 minutes).
Add 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and ½ teaspoon black pepper powder, and cook for 15-20 seconds.
Reduce the heat to low.
Now add 200 ml of thin coconut milk and 1 medium tomato (cut into rounds) and cook for 20-30 seconds.
Add ½ cup of water and mix until well combined.
Cover the pan and cook the curry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now add the fried shrimp to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Finally, add 300 ml of thick coconut milk, 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, and 1 teaspoon garam masala and mix well.
Cook on low heat until the curry comes to a gentle simmer. Do not overcook; otherwise, the curry may split.
Check for salt and tamarind and add more if needed. Serve the shrimp moilee hot.
Recipe Tip
Do not overcook the shrimp; they cook very quickly and can turn rubbery.
Adjust the green chilies, salt, and tamarind to your taste.
Make sure to add the coconut milk to the pan only when the heat is reduced to low. It may split if the heat is high.
Storage Suggestions
Shrimp Moilee tastes best when served fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheat gently on low heat. Do not boil to avoid splitting the coconut milk.
I don’t recommend freezing shrimp moilee, as the coconut milk may separate upon thawing
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Shrimp Moilee Recipe (Prawn Moilee)
Ingredients
To Marinate The Shrimp
- 350 grams shrimp (prawns)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- ½ teapoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For The Curry
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3-4 cloves (laung)
- 2 green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
- 2 cups thinly sliced onions
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 200 milliliters thin coconut milk
- 1 medium tomato (cut into rounds)
- 300 milliliters thick coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
Instructions
Marinate The Shrimp
- Rinse shrimp thoroughly with water and drain well.
- Add them to a bowl along with turmeric powder, lime juice, black pepper powder, and salt and mix well. Set aside.
Fry The Shrimp
- Heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the marinated shrimp to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the fried shrimp on a plate and set aside.
Make The Shrimp Moilee Curry
- Heat the oil in the pan for a few minutes, allowing the water released by the shrimp to evaporate.
- Now add cloves, green cardamoms, cinnamon, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies (slit into half), and fry for 3-4 seconds.
- Add onions, ginger, and garlic, and cook until the onions turn pinkish. (5-6 minutes).
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, and black pepper powder, and cook for 15-20 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Now add thin coconut milk and tomato and cook for 20-30 seconds.
- Add ½ cup of water and mix until well combined.
- Cover the pan and cook the curry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Now add the fried shrimp to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
- Finally, add thick coconut milk, tamarind paste, and garam masala and mix well. Cook on low heat until the curry comes to a gentle simmer. Do not overcook; otherwise, the curry may split.
- Check for salt and tamarind and add more if needed. Serve hot.
An amazing seafood recipe from Kerala, I love to serve this with rice.