Sauteed Shrimp with Curried Banana Sauce

This shrimp dish pairs butter-sautéed jumbo shrimp with a smooth, golden sauce built from bananas, apple, and a warm spice blend of curry powder, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The sauce gets puréed and strained until silky, then spooned over the shrimp on a bed of rice or noodles.

The banana sauce is the standout here. Four bananas simmered in chicken stock with curry spices and aromatics break down into a thick, naturally sweet base. Puréeing and straining removes any fibrous bits, leaving a sauce that’s velvety smooth with a tropical-spiced flavor that’s completely unique.

The shrimp cook separately and fast. A quick sauté in butter and oil over high heat, shaking the pan constantly, keeps them plump and just barely cooked through. Overcooked shrimp are rubbery, and with a sauce this good, you want the shrimp to be their best.

Chef Tips

• Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic without coloring. Browning them would darken the sauce and add a bitter, caramelized flavor that clashes with the banana.
• Bloom the spices in the oil for a full minute before adding the fruit. This releases their essential oils and deepens the curry flavor.
• Strain the puréed sauce through a fine sieve. This step makes the difference between a smooth, restaurant-quality sauce and a chunky one.
• Use ripe bananas. Green bananas won’t break down as easily and will taste starchy in the finished sauce.

Variations

• Add a splash of coconut milk to the finished sauce for extra creaminess.
• Use mango in place of some of the banana for a tangier, more tropical sauce.
• Serve over jasmine rice for an aromatic base that complements the curry spices.