Spicy Shrimp Curry with Fenugreek

This is a delicious tangy authentic and flavorful curry for a sunday evening dinner. It is very satisfying with some hot basmati rice. I think it is even better after it stays in the refrigerator overnight for heating the next day -- this allows all the spices to mix. 


Ingredients
Shrimp: 15 - 20 count
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 can of diced (un-spiced) tomatoes
3/4 tsp turmeric
3/4 tsp red chilli
1/2 tsp garam masala
handful of cilantro leaves chopped 
lemon squeeze (optional)
Masala:
Grind the following in a small food processor
9 cloves of garlic
2 thumb size pieces of ginger peeled
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 table spoon coriander powder
salt
Few tablespoons of water


Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in a nonstick pan. Fry the fenugreek for 10 seconds. Add the masala which should be pasty. Cook 8 minutes or until the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan. Add a drop of the tomatoes to make pasty. Then add the turmeric, red chilli, garam masala and tomatoes. Stir and add the cilantro. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes -- allow spices to cook here. 
Add the shrimp and leave for 3 minutes. Add 1 and 1/2 cup of water and bring to boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 minutes.  Serve with steamed rice. 

Fenugreek and it's great properties:
You can buy it at any Indian grocery store and probably at an international farmers market


Fenugreek seeds are used as a medicinal in Traditional Chinese Medicine under the name Hu Lu Ba.  Fenugreek is frequently used in the production of flavoring for artificial maple syrups. Fenugreek seed is widely used as a galactagogue (milk producing agent) by nursing mothers to increase inadequate breast milk supply. Studies have shown that fenugreek is a potent stimulator of breast milk production and its use was associated with increases in milk production of as much as 900%.^[11] It can be found in capsule form in many health food stores.^[12] Several human intervention trials demonstrated that the antidiabetic effects of fenugreek seeds ameliorate most metabolic symptoms associated with type-1 and type-2 diabetes in both humans and relevant animal models by reducing serum glucose and improving glucose tolerance.^[13] Fenugreek contains high dietary fiber, so a few seeds taken with warm water before going to sleep helps avoiding constipation.^{[citation needed]}