Spiced Shrimp and Eggplant With Ginger, Garlic, and Chiles

Updated April 18, 2019

Shrimp pairs well with most vegetables, but my personal favorite is brinjal, or black eggplant. It's a classic combination, contrasting the vegetable's mild, bitter edge with the sweet, faintly briny seafood. The dish tastes even better with smaller shrimp; the smaller they get, the more concentrated their flavor. A blend of spices and hot chilies floods the plate with warm heat; coupled with roti or pilaf, it makes for a hearty, satisfying meal.

Recipe Details

Spiced Shrimp and Eggplant With Ginger, Garlic, and Chiles Recipe

Active 25 mins

Total 25 mins

Serves 2 servings

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste (bottled or made by combining 1 teaspoon each grated garlic and ginger)
2 teaspoons cumin powder, divided
2/3 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
1 medium red onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
2 small green chiles, slit
1/2 cup chopped tomato
2 teaspoons red chile powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 cup water
3 baby black eggplants cut lengthwise into 4 (or two depending on size)

Directions

Combine 1 teaspoon salt, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste,1 teaspoon cumin powder, and the shrimp in a medium bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add green chilli and chopped tomato. Stir until tomato is broken down and starting to get dry, about 5 minutes. Add remaining cumin, red chilli and coriander powders and vigorously until fragrant, about 2 minutes. (Add drops of water if you think the paste is sticking to the bottom or the powders are burning.) Add eggplants and stir to coat with spice paste. Add water and season to taste with salt. Cover and cook until eggplant is tender and most of its liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Add the shrimp and stir. Cook uncovered until the shrimp is opaque and curled and the eggplant is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve hot with roti or steamed rice and daal.

Special equipment

Heavy lidded saucepan

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
381	Calories
13g	Fat
31g	Carbs
38g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	381
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g	16%
Saturated Fat 2g	8%
Cholesterol 314mg	105%
Sodium 2142mg	93%
Total Carbohydrate 31g	11%
Dietary Fiber 7g	24%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 71mg	356%
Calcium 216mg	17%
Iron 4mg	23%
Potassium 901mg	19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.