Recipe from Korai Kitchen
Adapted by Alexa Weibel
Published Jan. 12, 2024
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- 4(115)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Vivid and bright, this traditional Bangladeshi shrimp dish, which was adapted from Nur-E Gulshan Rahman, the chef and an owner of Korai Kitchen in Jersey City, New Jersey, is stained with earthy turmeric, sweetened with onion and spiked with chile. In Bangladesh, Iran, India and in other parts of the subcontinent, dopiaza can refer to dishes that use a lot of onions. This recipe cleverly builds flavor using onions two ways: Some are sliced and cooked until softened, adding texture, while the remaining are blended into a purée that melds with turmeric, chile, oil and cilantro into a sauce that tastes as bright as sunshine. Ms. Rahman learned the recipe from her mother, and the dish is a popular staple at the restaurant, which she owns and operates with her youngest daughter, Nur-E Farhana Rahman. —Alexa Weibel
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Include recipe photo
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 2medium sweet onions or yellow onions (about 10 ounces each), peeled
- 2pounds large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails removed, if desired), rinsed in cold water
- 1cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons chile powder or to taste (see Tip)
- 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1medium tomato, cut into ½-inch cubes (1 cup)
- 8 to 10whole small green chiles (such as Thai chiles)
- ½cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
- Cooked white basmati rice, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
568 calories; 39 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 27 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 34 grams protein; 837 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
To a medium korai (or any other round pot with high sides), add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high.
Step
2
While the water comes to a boil, halve 1 onion, then thinly slice it; set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining onion, then add it to a food processor or blender along with ¼ cup water. Blend until you’ve got a thick onion purée (you’ll need about 1 cup); set aside.
Step
3
Once the water boils, add the shrimp, reduce heat to medium and cook just until pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately drain and transfer cooked shrimp to a bowl.
Step
4
Heat the oil in the korai (or a wok or a nonstick skillet) over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, just until softened but only halfway cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion purée, chile powder, turmeric and salt until fully combined.
Step
5
Add the diced tomato and the green chiles; stir to combine. Stir in 2 tablespoons of water. Mix everything together and simmer for approximately 5 minutes or until oil rises to the top of the mixture.
Step
6
Raise the heat to high and stir in the reserved shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp takes on the color of the sauce and the oil rises to the surface again, about 3 minutes.
Step
7
Stir in the cilantro, season to taste with salt, then serve over rice.
Tip
- Ms. Rahman prefers Diaspora Co. Guntur Sunnam Chilli Powder.
Ratings
4
out of 5
115
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Hannah
Absolutely delicious, great complexity of flavour and wonderful sweetness from the onions. I believe that 1 cup of oil is correct - I used a half cup to be cautious (coconut oil for the flavour) and it wasn't too oily at all. It makes sense in proportion with the full 20 oz of onions, you need a lot of oil to make the sauce saucey! Also, don't be tempted to skimp on the chilies - if you keep them whole as directed they impart a bit of heat but it wasn't too spicy (just don't bite into them!).
Maui Maggie
My lawnmower uses less oil. Instead, i used 2-3 tbs in the dish, and used the remaining oil to separately fry sliced onions until browned and crispy, which i added with the fresh coriander. The result was fine.
Tony
Two tablespoons of vegetable oil or ghee would be ample.
Chris
I think the idea is cut one onion in half and slice both halves into thin slices. Chop the other onion and then blend it.
LovesFood
Not sure about the onions. Half an onion is sliced. That is clear. Chop the remaining onion. Can I assume that this means the remaining half plus the second onion?
Karen
This was delicious. I used just slightly less oil because I imagined that the dish would end up very oily. I shouldn't have been worried about it---it didn't have an oily taste or mouth feel and could have handled the whole cup. I used extra virgin olive oil as it's what I had. No other changes except use only a tsp of salt as my shrimp was already quite salty.
rog
used 5 serrano peppers - excellent
Claudia
Loved this recipe! Especially using two forms of onion. I will definitely make this again!
YUMx2
Followed recipe as is. Whole house enjoyed. This dish will most certainly become a mainstay.
gkwest
It was OK, but it's missing something. The heat was good, but otherwise bland. I added some lime juice, which helped, but still...
LovesFood
Not sure about the onions. Half an onion is sliced. That is clear. Chop the remaining onion. Can I assume that this means the remaining half plus the second onion?
Marilyn
IMO, the directions indicate that you slice one onion in half and thinly slice both halves. "Coarsely chop the remaining onion..." To me that means the remainder of the 2 onions.One onion is halved and thinly sliced enabling thin half rings rather than thin whole rings. One onion is coarsely chopped and put into a food processor to make an onion purée.
Nancy Holland
So tasty! Used whole tomatoes tomato paste. Actually had a hot jalapeño…so I’ll take the pith out next time (perfect heat for R, too hot for me).
Maui Maggie
My lawnmower uses less oil. Instead, i used 2-3 tbs in the dish, and used the remaining oil to separately fry sliced onions until browned and crispy, which i added with the fresh coriander. The result was fine.
Dolph
After finding that the peppers I had gotten were very mild, I added about a tablespoon of red pepper flakes which made it pretty spicy. I served it over brown rice. The time for cooking the peppers seemed to be very short, and I will probably use less oil next time.
Hannah
Absolutely delicious, great complexity of flavour and wonderful sweetness from the onions. I believe that 1 cup of oil is correct - I used a half cup to be cautious (coconut oil for the flavour) and it wasn't too oily at all. It makes sense in proportion with the full 20 oz of onions, you need a lot of oil to make the sauce saucey! Also, don't be tempted to skimp on the chilies - if you keep them whole as directed they impart a bit of heat but it wasn't too spicy (just don't bite into them!).
John
I agree, 1 cup of oil is not a mistake. I also cut the oil in half and it turned out a little on the dry side. Those pureed onions can soak up a whole lot of oil.
Chris
I think the idea is cut one onion in half and slice both halves into thin slices. Chop the other onion and then blend it.
Tony
Two tablespoons of vegetable oil or ghee would be ample.
Private notes are only visible to you.
