1 cup (240 ml) grated coconut, preferably fresh
2 dried red chile peppers
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 peppercorns
1 piece of tamarind (the size of a small marble)
½ onion, chopped fine
1 drumstick (frozen works fine), cut into 8–10 pieces
10–15 shrimp, cleaned and de-veined
1 pinch asafoetida
Put the shrimp, onion, drumsticks, and asafoetida in a saucepan. Add a little water and cook until the shrimp and drumsticks are done. If using white fish instead of shrimp, then omit the shrimp at this stage.
Grind the grated coconut, chile peppers, turmeric, pepper and tamarind to a fine paste. If needed, add a tiny amount of water to form a thick fine paste. Avoid watering down the paste as far as possible.
Add to the shrimp mix and bring to a boil. If using white fish, add at this point.
Add salt to taste.
Serve with hot white rice.
- •The traditional way of eating shrimp hooman is with hot steaming rice and raw mango pickle.
- •Alternatively the recipe can be made with any white fish (vellyo, muddashi, shevtali, visvaan).
- •If using frozen grated coconut, defrost it before use.