Shrimp & Noodles in Coconut Cream

I named this dish after a reading an interesting article about food culture appropriation. The article referenced but only chipped at the tip of the mostly submerged iceberg of food industry appropriation. Sure, you covered Rick Bayless, yet failed to mention Queen Paula Deen? Let’s use Shrimp & Noodles in Coconut Cream as an example which some probably refer to as “curry.”

I really don’t know what curry is. I think it’s pirate terminology – a word created by outsiders looking in. My first encounter with it was in 1989 in Japan. I was a vegetarian with a job that required me to spend a lot of time in Japan. Curries were displayed everywhere, on rotation in restaurant windows as plastic facsimiles. The first curry I tried was a lumpy brown, sweet sauce with onions and bell peppers served over spaghetti. Not an encounter I wanted to repeat nor indicative of the fantastic food in that country. Several Indian chefs noted that there are as many curries as there are chefs who make the sauce – all are slightly different. I can say the same about soul food and really any other cuisine. On multiple trips to Mumbai, I don’t recall seeing any menu items labeled “curry” but do remember some of the best food ever. In honor of my first curry, I added Japanese shiritaki noodles to my creation – zero calories of yum! You add a Thai-ish Coleslaw for almost the same reason.

Shrimp & Noodles in Coconut Cream

• 1 pound Wild Caught Shrimp
• 1 Can Organic Coconut Milk
• 2 8-ounce packages of Shiritaki Noodles
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Palm Oil
• 1 Organic Carrot
• 1 Cup Organic Broccoli
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cilantro
• 1 Organic Green Onion
• 1 tsp. Seasoning Salt
• 1 tsp. Real Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
• 1/2 Fresh Turmeric Root
• 1/4 tsp. Organic Thyme
• 1/8 tsp. Fresh Ginger Root
• Dash Nutmeg
• Unsalted Peanuts, chopped as a Garnish (optional)

Like most meals I prepare, this is a one-pot wonder. Saute broccoli and carrots in the palm oil for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk, spices, shrimp and drained noodles. Garnish with green onions, cilantro and chopped peanuts if desired.