Mumbai Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa

An easy shrimp taco recipe packed with spice and topped with a simple avocado tomato salsa.

Is it just me or did this past week absolutely fly by? The blur of holiday shopping and decorating has made time go at warp speed. This happens every year, but always seems to catch me off guard.

Instead of focusing on our never-ending to-do lists, let’s make Mumbai shrimp tacos instead. Sounds like a much better plan, yes?

These shrimp tacos are delicious, super easy, and full of spice and flavor. They are also very simple in ingredient list and execution. This is an ideal weeknight dinner recipe for any day of the year.

You could also easily scale the recipe up and serve these during the busy holiday season (serve-yourself taco bar!). Everyone will love them.

The shrimp taco recipe is from my friend (and fellow blogger) Lauren Grier’s brand new cookbook, Modern Comfort Cooking, which will be released on bookshelves next week!

I’ve been following Lauren’s blog Climbing Grier Mountain for years – we literally started our websites a month apart from one another – and I’m so excited to share her new book with you.

Lauren has an incredible ability to dream up creative, flavor-packed twists on classic comfort food (seriously, you should see what this girl can do with a tater tot!). Her new cookbook is an extension of that skill. Inspired by her childhood and love of travel, you’ll find mash-ups on older staples, as well as global flavors.

As the title suggests, the cookbook is packed with reinventions of vintage comfort food all using fresh, wholesome ingredients. This isn’t your average comfort food.

You’ll find everything from Turkish burgers with fattoush lime slaw, Thai chicken and rice casserole, falafel waffles, and Spanish wedge salad to bananas foster galette, champagne marshmallows, kimchi and bacon mac and cheese, Korean pulled pork lasagna, and so much more.

I had the hardest time deciding on a recipe to share with you (could I get a bite of each one?), but kept coming back to these Mumbai shrimp tacos. What can I say, I’m a sucker for seafood tacos.

MUMBAI SHRIMP TACOS: INGREDIENT BREAKDOWN

These shrimp tacos get their name and flavor from a simple combination of ground spices. Good news? These are basic staple spices, which you most likely have on hand:

– turmeric, paprika, coriander, cumin, and garlic powder

The spice mixture is tossed with the raw shrimp, which are seared in a sauté pan. The tacos are topped with an avocado salsa made from chopped avocado, halved grape tomatoes (I used cherry, which will work just as well!), lots of fresh lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño for a touch of heat.

The bright acidity, along with the natural creaminess from avocado, adds just the right balance to the shrimp without overpowering the spices. I prefer to serve these in combination corn-wheat tortillas, which I char on my gas stove, but you could easily make this dish gluten-free if you use corn tortillas.

Mumbai Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa

5 stars (2 ratings)

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Yield: 4 Servings (8 Tacos)

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 30 minutes minutes

These shrimp tacos are delicious, super easy, and full of spice and flavor. They are also very simple in ingredient list and execution!

Ingredients

Shrimp Taco Filling:

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb (16 oz) shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or clarified butter

Avocado Salsa:

• 2 avocados pitted and chopped
• 1½ cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and minced
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Assembly:

• 8 (6-inch) taco-size tortillas, charred *I prefer the corn/wheat combination variety
• lime wedges for garnishing

Instructions 

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the turmeric, paprika, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and black pepper. Add the shrimp to the bowl with the spices and toss to combine.
• Preheat a large skillet to medium-heat heat. Add the oil (or clarified butter, if using) and shrimp. Cook the shrimp for about a minute, flip, and cook for an additional minute or until the shrimp start to curl and become golden brown. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
• Mix together the avocado, tomatoes, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To assemble the tacos, take a few pieces of shrimp and place them into the tortilla. Top with avocado salsa and more lime juice. Serve immediately.

Make Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free corn tortillas.

Tips for Success:

• How to Char and Warm Tortillas: Line a large plate with a clean kitchen linen. Turn your gas burner over medium heat. You could use two burners at once to speed this process up or do them one at a time. Place one corn tortilla directly over the flame and heat for 15 to 25 seconds per side, flipping them with tongs, or until lightly charred. Transfer the warm tortillas to the kitchen linen as you work, and cover them to keep them warm for serving.
• If you don’t have a gas stovetop, warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave according to the package instructions.

Adapted very lightly and printed with permission from Modern Comfort Cooking by Lauren Grier.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 396kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 286mg, Sodium: 2069mg, Potassium: 778mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 871IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 202mg, Iron: 4mg

Author: Laura / A Beautiful Plate

Course: Seafood and Shellfish

Cuisine: Indian

I was provided with a copy of the cookbook for review purposes. All opinions are my own.