Shrimp Curry In La Rochelle, France
The charming little town of La Rochelle has been one of the busiest ports on France’s Atlantic coast for over a thousand years. Ships sailed out from its well sheltered harbour on voyages that became increasingly ambitious over the centuries. They sailed to other parts of Europe in medieval times, and from the seventeenth century onwards to the Americas and Asia.
The strategic importance of the town made it a frequent target of attacks by hostile fleets, and the hulking towers that still guard the entrance to the Vieux Port are a pointed reminder of this stormy history. A chain used to be drawn between these towers to bar enemy ships from entering.
Today the old port is at the heart of a bustling tourist industry, the harbour filled with jaunty sailing yachts and the quays lined with restaurants and shops. Visitors come from all over the world to explore the historic town of La Rochelle, which is a charming destination with lovely timber framed buildings and covered shopping arcades lining cobbled streets.
Walking around town through streets named for Québec, Montréal, Champlain, Montcalm and Jacques Cartier brings to life the long standing bonds La Rochelle had with Canada. Many French emigrants heading for Québec boarded ships in La Rochelle and set sail for the New World. Today there is a permanent exhibit inside the Tour de la Chaîne, one of the towers guarding the harbour, that chronicles and commemorates their journey.
The Saint-Louis Cathedral of La Rochelle also has strong ties with the sea, for this is where sailors would come to pray for a safe journey before setting out. The stained glass windows of the chapels dedicated to seafarers still have images of their ships.
La Rochelle is also home to the Musée du Noveau Monde, a museum devoted to the history of the French presence in the New World, including both North and South America and the Caribbean Islands. The museum is housed in a magnificent 18th century mansion that was once the home of a rich merchant who made his fortune in Haiti. An entire exhibit is devoted to Canada, bringing together historical artifacts and European depictions of life in New France.
We discovered that La Rochelle had yet another important connection for us Indo-Canadians, for it was the port from which a French fleet sailed in 1672 to the southern coast of India. They sought to establish a French presence in the region where Portuguese, Dutch and English merchants had been active for many years and were making huge profits importing spices and fabrics. After several hard fought battles the French East India Company finally established a base in Pondicherry, which was to remain a French colony for almost three hundred years, creating a hybrid French-Indian culture and cuisine that exists to this day.
We like to think that the French sailors and settlers enjoyed this classic shrimp curry which is popular all along the southern coast of India and always feels like comfort food in a bowl!
You can easily change up the recipe to suit what you have on hand - if you don’t have shrimp, use fish instead; don’t have mustard seeds or curry leaves, leave them out! Can’t find tamarind? Substitute lemon juice for it. Looking for more South Indian seafood recipes? Try Kerala Fish Curry or Tomato Shrimp Masala. Please check out our full cooking video by clicking on the image above.
Shrimp Curry
2 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp each: cumin seeds, black mustard seeds
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 inch piece ginger, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
20 curry leaves
1 cup pureed tomatoes (*see note below)
2 tbsp tamarind extract (*see note below)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp each, ground spices: cumin, coriander, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) Or use 2 tsp Malabar Masala
2 cups (396 ml) canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 lb. raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tbsp mixed chopped fresh coriander and mint
Warm oil in deep skillet set over medium heat.
Add cumin and mustard seeds, allow to splutter and pop for 30 sec.
Add garlic and ginger, saute for 30 sec.
Add onions and then add curry leaves, saute for about 5-7 min until onions are softened and lightly browned.
Add pureed tomatoes and cook for 2 min, stirring all the while.
Add tamarind extract, cook 1 min.
Add salt and all the spices, mixing them into the sauce.
Add coconut milk, mix well into the sauce.
Bring sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 10 min, stirring occasionally.
Add shrimp to the sauce, stir gently to mix and cook uncovered for about 5-7 min, stirring occasionally until shrimp are just cooked and pink.
Fold in the chopped fresh herbs and transfer curry to a serving bowl.
Serve right away with warm Basmati rice on the side.
Serves four
*Note: To obtain 1 cup of tomato puree, use about 5 whole canned plum tomatoes from a can of premium tomatoes and puree them in a blender or food processor.
*Note: To make tamarind extract, soak a small walnut sized piece of tamarind (from dried block) in about 1/2 cup of hot water for 30 min. Mash well with a fork and strain through a sieve or through your fingers. You now have thick tamarind extract to use in this recipe. Refrigerate unused portions.
