- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
- Mix paprika, cumin, turmeric, and salt in a small bowl. Spread 3/4 the spice mixture over the shrimp in a bowl; set aside for about 10 minutes.
- Crush onion slightly with a mortar and pestle. A few hard jabs is good; onion should be moist but not watery.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat; add mustard seeds and cook until crackling subsides, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook and stir onion, garlic paste, and ginger paste into the mustard seeds until onion is browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir water into remaining spice mixture; pour into pan. Cook and stir tomatoes in onion mixture until softened, about 5 minutes. Add green peppers and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium; add shrimp and cook until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and stir until all liquid evaporates. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with black pepper and lemon juice.