Curried Shrimp with Vegetables

Cooking, like life, is an experiment in creativity. And when you're on a budget, grocery shopping and managing your food for the week requires unabashed creativity.

You'll note that the methods I share to prepare the meals I post on this blog are not recipes, in as much as I don't offer exact amounts and measurements.

Rather, I use "dollops" and "blobs," "chunks" and "bunches." And I "toss," "throw," "saute," "whisk," and "whiz."

You see, my cooking style is not complicated, it used to be but my lifestyle and budget has changed the way I cook and eat.

Today cooking is a creative exercise for me, one that's dependent on common sense, gumption and taste-testing as you go.

So I encourage you to become recipe-independent by trusting your instincts and creativity and your ability to taste-test your way to creating a delicious meal -- cooking is way more fun when you throw caution to the wind and experiment.

Curried Shrimp with Vegetables
(using ingredients from March 19th shopping list)
1) Remove remaining Whole Catch frozen shrimp from freezer and unfreeze.
2) Saute some onions and garlic in olive oil till transparent. Add a blob of curry paste (I like Pataks. It comes in mild and hot, I think.)

3) Stir the onions, garlic and paste into the olive oil over a med to low heat.
4) Toss in any leftover eggplant, chopped into cubes, a cup of frozen okra, and a cup of frozen peas. Stir into onion and curry paste mix.
5) Turn heat to low and let the veggies gently cook in their own juices for about 20-30 mins.
6) Toss in all the remaining shrimp, stirring them through the veggies. Cook slowly for another 10 mins.
6) Taste-test. You might find that it needs salt, or that it could do with a little tomato, if so add any leftover cherry tomatoes.

To Serve: Spoon over boiled rice. Or if you have any leftover cooked polenta, toss it about in a pan with a little butter or oil till lightly browned and serve this as a side with your curried shrimp. Curry is always delicious with condiments like sliced banana and yogurt (on our last shopping list), and or shredded coconut, and chutney.