There's something spicy about mangoes... { sweet and spicy curry-mango shrimp pasta }

The sweetness of the mango brings a refreshing twist to this slightly spicy curry pasta dish. The freshly chopped cilantro on top is a definitive must.

(This recipe was edited on the 11th of June, 2014. Introduction text and pictures remains the same. The recipe has been reviewed and translated to portuguese.)

A sunny morning made me wake up and it was asking for an exotic dish. A yellow, spicy but sweet dish. Something hot, yet refreshing. And something different. And I guess I was in the mood for shrimp, curry and saffron. And yes, I had been looking at that mango pulp can for a while. The recipe was already cooking in my mind by the time I got on my feet and I could feel the flavour in my mouth before I even jumped out of my bed ;) Today I woke up later that I use to. When I arrived at the kitchen our homemaid had already taken some codfish out of the freezer and came in through the backdoor asking if I knew how to make "empadão de bacalhau" (which is something like a codfish shepherd's pie). Unfortunately, and this is something that used to happen once in a month, my mother had told her to cook lunch (most of the time it is my father that decides what she may cook for lunch). Fortunately, I didn't have to argue at all, since we had no onion and she was already convinced that this dish without onion wasn't worth doing. My way to the stove was free! As I believe that recipes are much more taken into account when they are accompanied by a picture, this time I took my camera to the kitchen and made my homework!

Although the final presentation was not quite as I had thought it would be, the final taste was exactly as I had imagined it. I loved its spicy but so sweet taste, but the best part was that my oldest (yet younger than me) brother, who dislikes mango and doesn't really fancy cilantro, went for a second and even for a third serving, saying it was the best! I asked him to guess what I had put in it, telling him that it was something that he usually hated and he couldn't believe when I finally told him what it was!

massa de camarão com manga e caril.

(para cinco)
600g de camarão médio
350g de massa 'mafalda corta'
75ml de vinho branco
sumo de 1 limão
3 dentes de alho picados
1 tomate picado
3 colheres de sopa de polpa de tomate
pimenta preta moída
caril
açafrão
coentros frescos
sal

Preparar o camarão removendo a cabeça, patas e casca e deixando a cauda. Marinar em vinho branco e sumo de limão com sal e metade do alho picado, cerca de 20 minutos.

Entretanto, adicionar a massa a água fervente temperada com sal e juntar um fio de azeite. Cozinhar 'al dente', escorrer e passar por água fria corrente para que não cole. Juntar e misturar um pouco de azeite e reservar.

Numa frigideira sobre lume brando, saltear o restante alho em azeite. Juntar as especiarias e deixar cozinhar, mexendo, até se sentir bem o aroma destas. Juntar o camarão e remexer por um par de minutos, até este esteja bem cozinhado por fora. Juntar a marinada e deixar cozinhar mais uma meia dúzia de minutos, virando o camarão a meio do tempo.

Remover do fogão e separar o camarão e o líquido sobrante. Reservar ambos.

Levar a frigideira de novo ao lume e juntar algum azeite. Saltear o tomate até estar macio e juntar a polpa de manga e o líquido de cozinhar o camarão. Deixar reduzir um pouco.

Juntar a massa e deixar aquecer e absorver um pouco o molho por um par de minutos, mexendo.

Remover do calor, colocar num prato de servir e espalhar o camarão no topo. Finalizar com os coentros frescos, grosseiramente picados na hora.

~

sweet and spicy curry-mango shrimp pasta.

(for five)
600g large shrimp
350g 'mafalda corta' pasta
75ml white wine
juice of 1 lemon
3 garlic cloves, thinly chopped
1 tomato, chopped
3 tablespoons mango pulp
black pepper, ground
curry powder
saffron
fresh cilantro
sea salt

Prepare the shrimp by removing head, legs and peel, leaving the tails untouched. Marinate it in white wine and lemon juice with a bit of sea salt and half the chopped garlic for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the pasta in boiling water, seasoned with salt and drizzled with olive oil. Once cooked 'al dente', rinse it in cold running tap water for a while to keep it from sticking together. Stir a bit of olive oil through it and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, sautée the remaining garlic in olive oil. Toss in the spices and stir until fragant. Add the shrimp and give it a stir for a couple of minutes, until well fried on the outside. Add the marinade and let cook for some five more minutes, turning the shrimp in the meanwhile. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the shrimp to a deep dish and the juices to a glass.

Return the pan to the heat and add some olive oil. Sautée the tomato until tender and stir in the mango pulp and the juices from cooking the shrimp. Let simmer for a while over medium heat.

Toss in the pasta and let it warm up and absorb a bit of the sauce for a couple of minutes while stirring.

Remove from heat, place in a serving plate and top with the stir-fry shrimp and a handful of freshly chopped cilantro.