The original version of this recipe is from Modern Spice, by Monica Bhide, although the recipe I am about to share has deviated somewhat from the original version. I do have a hard time not making modifications to a recipe. And in the case of the Modern Spice version it called for some ingredients that I couldn't easily find (such as fresh curry leaves), which made me feel free to alter the recipe to my heart's content. My mother is often wonders why I even bother to buy cookbooks when I don't follow their recipes. I don't really have a good answer for that, I just like buying them. "Just because" still works for a valid response, doesn't it?
The beauty of this recipe is that it (again) doesn't take very long to cook, especially when you use the pre-cooked Trader Joe's brown rice. It would also be really great with some naan, but if you don't have naan, the rice is an excellent substitute. I used frozen scallops which worked wonderfully in this dish. You could also substitute tofu for the scallops, giving them the same curry rub and satueeing them in the pan before adding them to the curry sauce. Another great addition would be pre-cooked potato cubes.
1 pound sea scallops
4 tbsp canola oil
2 -3 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp garram masalla
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 medium red onion minced
3 - 4 carrots peeled and sliced into rounds
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 14 z can light coconut milk
1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice per serving
Rub the scallops with 1 tbsp curry powder, salt and pepper. Set aside for approximately 10 minutes. In a large skillet heat 2 tbsp canola oil until hot, turn the heat down to medium and add the onions and garlic, sauteeing until they soften. Then add the carrots and sautee them for about 10 minutes, until they are just fork tender. Add the peas, the remaining curry powder and the other spices. Saute for 2 minutes, then add the coconut milk (making sure to shake the can well before opening it), turning the heat to medium-low to simmer for 5 minutes, being careful to stir the curry sauce regularly. Then heat another medium sized skillet with the remaining 2 tbsp of canola oil. When the oil is shimmering hot, add the scallops, putting them down in one layer. Leave the scallops untouched for two minutes, flip them over and leave them for another 1 - 2 minutes (depending on the size. Pull the scallops and set them aside while the curry sauce finishes. Serve with the sauce over rice and the scallops on top. Bon Appetit!
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