Shrimp "Satay" Pynchon

[Kim L. Serkes]

Shrimp "Satay" Pynchon

OK, foax, here's the concept. Mssrs. Mason and Dixon are in Capetown, residing
with a Dutch colonist family. The food at the family table consists of sheep,
day after day, artlessly prepared. M. & D. go out to the "native quarter" in
search of culinary relief. 

What follows isn't particularly based on any one meal they have, but inspired
by what they might have found. 

A few of the ingredients are probably not at the corner grocery; unless you
live in a Latin or Indian neighborhood. Good fresh shrimp are expensive, and
picking the shells is a lot of work. Hey, if that's going to be a problem for
you, stop reading right here and go to the Hungry Hunter or the Red Lobster.
You'll at least find *one* authentic M&D food item there: catsup. 

This will feed four. I'd plan on 8-12 ounces of shrimp per person. The sauce
ingredients quantities are approximate; you'll need to get fresh spices (i.e.,
don't use the cumin & tumeric that've been on your spice rack since 1973.) 

I recommend serving it with rice. I prepared a simple risotto, using the liquid
I cooked the shrimp in as stock. You could make boiled rice, but do get some
flavor into it with the shrimp liquid. 

2 lbs unpeeled shrimp (medium, tiger prawns are fine.)
0.5 c. "virgin or extra virgin" olive oil
1.5 c. chopped onion (yellow or white)
4 T. minced fresh garlic (nope, not from a jar!)
0.5 c. white wine 
2 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped. 
3 T. red palm oil (aciete de dende)
0.25 c. fresh lime juice
1 medium mango, peeled and chopped
1.5 t. minced fresh ginger
4 T. chopped fresh coriander leaf
4 T. chopped Italian parsley (really! not the curly kind)
2 t. fresh-ground cumin
2 t. tumeric
2-3 dry whole red chilis, or 0.5 T. crushed
3 T. tamarind paste
3 T. peanut butter (chunky)
1 T. orange zest
1.5 t. gumbo file`

Lightly cook shrimp in boiling water/clam juice mix, with piece of bay leaf,
sprig of parsley, black peppercorns, garlic cloves. Reserve liquid for rice.
You don't want to overcook the shrimp, just get the shells red and the flesh
firm, to ease peeling. Peel the shrimp and set them aside. 

Have everything chopped and ground before you start making the sauce; it goes
quickly.

Heat the olive oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions, stir until just
translucent, add the garlic, cook until just softened. Add the wine, raise heat
to high and cook until the wine is about half evaporated. Add the tomatoes and
palm oil and lime juice, cook until tomatoes are softened but not mush. Reduce
heat to a simmer. Add the mango and the spices, let simmer for 10 minutes. Stir
in the tamarind paste and peanut butter, make sure they're well dissolved. Add
the shrimp to the sauce, cook for 5 minutes more at a low simmer. Add the
orange zest and gumbo file`, stirring thoroughly.