Mixed greens salad with fiery grilled shrimp and creamy avocado

  Thinking what to do with fresh shrimp you picked up from your local seafood vendor? Contemplating whether to make a spicy coconut based curry with it, deep fry it(my favourite) or simply grill it? Well, I chose the latter, yeah, even though batter-coated fried shrimp is my all time favourite when it comes to these little crustaceans. I decided to keep the dish simple tonight and make a salad. Trust me, very easy and equally quick to make, no whisking ingredients to make a vinaigrette so typical of a salad. Just some healthy and organic fresh greens and a big, fat and very ripe locally grown avocado to complete the picture. With my Indian culinary roots always intact and my spice cabinet filled with my flavourful spices, I add a touch of heat to the shrimp. It imparts an extra kick. And to cool the palate? The cooling avocado dip compliments it perfectly!

Servings 4

Ingredients:

5 cups mixed organic greens, like arugula, green and red lettuce, frisée, radicchio, baby spinach. Even baby kale and chard would work. 

 1 ripe avocado

Fresh shrimp, cleaned and deveined – 1/2 pound or 250 grams

Plain yoghurt – 1 tbsp.

Garlic – 4 cloves

1 large dried Pasilla chile. This is a mild to medium hot Mexican chile. Can also use a Kashmiri red chile. Remove the seeds, to reduce the level of heat. Feel free to add another one, in case you like the shrimps to be very spicy!

Apple cider vinegar – 1 tbsp. One could also use malt vinegar or white wine vinegar.

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp.

Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp.

A pinch of turmeric 

Olive oil – 2 tbsp.

A tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt, to taste

First things first, soak the red chile in a little hot water for a few minutes. Take out your handy little food processor.  

 Grind the red chile(without the water), garlic, cumin, coriander seeds, olive oil, vinegar to a coarse paste. Add salt.  

 Marinate the prawns in this paste. 

 For the creamy avocado- Run a knife along the centre of the avocado lengthwise, twist it open. Remove the pit. Scoop out the soft flesh in a bowl. Mash with a fork. Add yoghurt and little salt and a a tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix well till it is smooth and creamy. Set aside. 

 Heat a griddle or large pan on high heat. Add olive oil. Add the marinated shrimp and sauté on medium to medium high heat for 3-4 minutes.  

 In a large salad bowl, add the greens. Add the prawns.  

 Put spoonfuls of the avocado dip in the salad. It’s ready to be served!