By Gretchen McKay
From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
No matter where they hail from, part of the appeal of skillet dishes is the fact they get dinner on the table in no time, usually with just a handful of ingredients.
This spicy shrimp dish has roots that reach all the way to the island nation of Mauritius, east of Madagascar. A tasty blend of European, African, Chinese and Indian influences, Mauritius cuisine features a lot of fresh seafood. Much of it is enlivened with rich spices like ginger, garlic and thyme, and chile also is a key player.
After a quick sear in the pan, shrimp is softly poached in a mildly spicy Creole tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes flavored with minced ginger, garlic, onion and cilantro stems. It’s served with even more cilantro — you have to be a fan — and a sprinkle of green scallions….