Vadouvan Orange Shrimp

Here, vadouvan, a south Indian seasoning, turns a weeknight seafood dish into something unforgettable, with its complex curry flavors mingling with tangy orange juice to make an addictive sauce for plump, sweet shrimp. Having a batch of vadouvan in the freezer is as good as a pot of gold in our books, says Gourmet magazine. Time does not include the the vadouvan which needs to be made ahead. Vadouvan keeps in the refrigerator 1 month (cool before covering) or in the freezer 6 months.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ORANGE SHRIMP

• 6  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2⁄3 cup  fresh orange juice
• 1⁄3 cup onion, blend (Indian Vadouvan seasoning )
• 1 1⁄2 lbs large shrimp, in shell peeled and deveined
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• VADOUVAN

• 2  lbs onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1  lb shallot, halved
• 12  garlic cloves, peeled
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 1  teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1  tablespoon  thinly sliced fresh curry leaf (optional)
• 1  tablespoon ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1  teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 3⁄4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  grated nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

1. VADOUVAN:
2. (Make ahead).
3. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
4. Pulse onions in 3 batches in a food processor until very coarsely chopped (there may be a few large pieces remaining), transferring to a bowl.
5. Repeat with shallots, then garlic.
6. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions, shallots, and garlic (stir often) until golden and browned in spots, 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Grind fenugreek seeds in grinder or with mortar and pestle. Add to onion mixture along with remaining ingredients, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir until combined.
8. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined large 4-sided sheet pan and spread as thinly and evenly as possible.
9. Bake, stirring occasionally with a skewer to separate onions, until well browned and barely moist, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
10. *COOKS NOTE: Vadouvan keeps in the refrigerator 1 month (cool before covering) or in the freezer 6 months.
11. ORANGE SHRIMP:
12. Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat and cook until butter gives off a nutty fragrance and is golden brown, about 2 minutes.
13. Add juice and vadouvan, then increase heat to medium-high and boil, swirling skillet occasionally, until liquid is syrupy and reduced by about half, about 2 minutes.
14. Toss shrimp with 1/2 tsp salt and add to skillet and saute until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
15. Serve with steamed rice.