The Lenten season is well underway and I have always followed the practice of giving up a luxury, making personal improvements and increasing Bible studies during that season. Many people do the same and recently I learned that an Internet poll declared the top 10 things people give up for Lent, starting with number 10, are fast food, soda, chips, sweets, swearing, school, social networking, twitter, alcohol, and the number one thing given up during Lent is chocolate.

Another tradition observed during Lent is not to eat meat on Fridays – somehow fish isn’t considered meat. We always ate fish on Fridays and I suppose crab cakes, shrimp or tuna steaks were really a delicacy not a cause for suffering. However, one of my sons once declared that he’d be giving up fish for Lent – funny kid. Last Friday I made curried-shrimp and vegetables served over rice.

Curried Shrimp and Vegetables
1 large onion, julienne sliced
2 carrots, sliced on a bias
2 celery ribs, sliced on a bias
2 Tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz. can coconut milk
1 Tbsp. curry paste
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1⁄2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1⁄2 cup frozen lima beans, thawed
1 lb. shrimp, peeled
2 tsp. dried basil
Salt and pepper
4 cups cooked rice

Begin by sautéing the onion, carrots and celery with the oil, adding a little salt and pepper, over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Add the coconut milk, curry paste and brown sugar. Stir until all is incorporated and turn the heat down to simmer.

Add peas and lima beans. Bring the contents back up to a simmer. Then add shrimp and dried basil. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Don’t over-cook the shrimp. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve over rice; the recipe feeds 4.

If I had it, I would’ve used freshly chopped basil sprinkled over the finished dish instead of dried. Also, using chicken instead of shrimp is an option. If so, cube, cook and remove from the pan before sautéing the vegetables. Then add back to the dish at the end.

Another idea – and more in line with observing Lent – is to double the amount of peas and lima beans, skipping both shrimp and chicken. The recipe is just a guideline; that’s what I love about cooking.