Veggie Curry with Shrimp

Most of the Malaysian dishes that I cook now I learned from Khim. I didn't even know how to crack an egg when I first started college. Since there wasn't a single Malaysian restaurant here in Dallas, I thought I was never going to see Malaysian food again until I met Khim.

This is of course - Khim's recipe. Khim did not give me any exact amount of any ingredients, so I made up my own.















3 shallots, diced into small pieces
2 pieces of ginger
1 tomato
1 Chinese egg plant (long, not round), cut into pieces, leave skin on
4-5 long beans
2 stalks of lemon grass
3/4 cup of cubed pineapple
3/4 cup cabbage
2 star anise
curry leaves from 2 stalks
1 tsp roasted belacan
1 small bag fried tofu cubes (tau foo bok)
3 heaping tablespoons of seafood curry powder
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp hot chilli paste
2/3 can evaporated milk or coconut milk
2/3 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined, leaving tails on
water
oil
salt

1. Cut all vegetables into your preferred sizes. Mix enough water into curry powder to make a paste. Smash lemon grass with the handle of your knife.
2. Heat up oil in medium heat in your wok/pot, make sure you have enough oil to saute the following. Saute shallots for 1 1/2 minutes. Add curry powder paste, star anise, lemon grass, curry leaves, hot chilli paste, ginger, and roasted belacan. Saute until your curry powder smells toasty.
3. Add all vegetables and mix to coat all vegetables, saute for 1 minute. Sprinkle some salt on all veggies, mix well.
   
4. Add enough water to cover up all vegetables. Bring it up to a boil, add fried tofu cubes.
5. Let it simmer until your egg plant is soft, add shrimp and pineapple and sugar. Salt again. Stir well.
6. Add evaporated milk and mix well - do not let the milk overcook otherwise you will see small milk bits floating all over your curry. (This only happens with evaporated milk, coconut milk does not do that)
   
7. Turn off heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Note: hot chilli paste is Homemade Ground Chillies in Oil from Little Corner Of Mine.