Sri Lankan Deviled Shrimp

In Sri Lanka, “deviled” dishes are spicy, tangy and sweet, a fusion of South Asian curry and Cantonese sweet-and-sour. We tasted a chicken version cooked by chef Chamidu Jayashiva at Sea Beach Resort, along with shrimp iterations prepared by home cooks Mohara Dole and the mother-daughter team of K.S. Luxmi and Shasikala Samuel. We loved the big flavors and stir-fry speed with which the dish comes together. For our adaptation of Sri Lankan deviled shrimp, we employ our trusty single-sided sear technique that guards against bouncy, overdone shrimp, and we cook the onion, chili and tomatoes for only a few fast minutes to preserve their freshness. This dish is meant to be assertively spicy, but you can control the intensity. We offer ranges for both the red pepper flakes and serrano chilies. Basmati rice is the perfect accompaniment.