When planning a menu for entertaining, I pay utmost attention to appetizers and dessert. Ofcourse, dinner is important too but the first and the closing impression (food wise) do play an important role in how successful a party is.
These shrimp toast are based on the idea of cantonese shrimp toasts. However I make the Indian style shrimp topping with shrimp in a onion tomato ginger garlic masala. I add a few curry leaves because I love their flavor with shrimp. If you have sea food lovers in the house these flavorful toasts will be a huge hit.
I wanted to use small or medium shrimp but could not find any so I used large sized.If you use a large size shrimp , cut it up in bite size pieces. The recipe is pretty simple and quick. Make sure that that everything is chopped small since the cooking time is not too long. Also if you are using frozen shrimp, thaw them properly and make sure that they are fully dry before adding to the pan else the filling will become watery.
How Do I Make Shrimp Toast
Start by toasting the baguette or slices of white bread under a broiler for 4-5 minutes until light brown. Take a pan or heavy skillet and proceed to make the masala of onion, tomatoes, garlic, curry leaves and powdered spices as outlined in the recipe. Keep the masala slightly saucy so that you are able to spread it over the bread.
Once the masala is ready, turn the heat to low and add the thawed shrimp. They cook pretty fast. Slather masala on the baguette and spoon over the shrimp. Add fresh green chili (or jalapeno slices), some chopped cilantro and squirt lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Few Tips & Tricks
Thaw the shrimp before using. Dry the thawed shrimp in between paper towel before adding to the masala else the topping will be watery. You can rub the baguette with garlic cloves for a nice garlicky flavor. You can mix scallops in this topping instead of just using shrimp.
