Tropical Coconut Shrimp

I love a good curry.  What I also love is taking the idea of a curry and trying out other types of delicacies using coconut milk.  This is a dish I made up and prepared for a couple friends.  It turned out excellent and I will definitely add this to my list of favorite creations.

Ingredients:

1 Pound Whole Shrimp
1 Pound Chicken Tenderloins
2 Plantains
2 Small Fennel Bulbs (or 1 Large)
2 TBS Raisins
2 Cups Cubed Pineapple
1/2 White Onion
1/2 Green Pepper
6 Cloves of Garlic Minced
1 Small Head Red Cabbage
1 Head Cauliflower
5 TBS Coconut Oil
1 Can Coconut Milk
2T Curry Powder
1tsp Cardamom
1T Cinnamon
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper 1 tsp



Method:

Take the shrimp and cut off the head.  Peel, de-vein, and set aside. 

 

Next, take the tenderloins and cut them into bite sized pieces and combine with peeled and de-veined shrimp.

 

Then, (on a clean cutting board!) cut the ends of the plantain, make a slice down the backside of the skin and peel off skin.  Then quarter the plantain.  Sometimes if you get a really big one and it is like 2 in 1, cut it in half then quarter.  

Place the plantains in a pot of water and boil about 15-20 minutes.  Once they are soft, remove from the water and put them aside.

In a food processor, chop the cauliflower into the consistency of cous cous.  It may take a couple pf batches to get it all done.  Set aside.

Slice up the cabbage and place it in a pot of water; boil until tender, about 8-10 minutes (you don't want it soggy, just lightly boiled with a little crispiness....adjust time as necessary for size of head).

Chop up the onion, green pepper and fennel. Mince garlic.

Place the onions, pepper and half the garlic into a deep saute pan with 3 TBS Coconut Oil over Medium Heat.

Cook for about 3-5 minutes, but be sure not to burn the garlic...once it becomes fragrant, add the protein.  

Allow to cook for another 3-5 minutes. 

**START THE COUS COUS....

In a shallow saute pan or frying pan place 2 TBS coconut oil, the remaining garlic,  and the couscous.  Saute over medium heat til slightly browned, about 4-5 minutes.

Once you get the cous cous going, add about 1/2 C coconut milk and add spices. Combine and add pineapple and raisins.  

Continue to cook until chicken is cooked through and coconut milk thickens up a bit.  At this point it should only take another minute or two......

To Serve:

Place couscous in a shallow bowl and top it with cabbage.  Add the Tropical Coconut Shrimp.  Place a piece of plantain alongside the Shrimp.  

Voila!  Eat and enjoy!