Sauteed Shrimp with Coconut and Mustard

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds 
• 1 small coconut flakes 
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 lb shrimp deveined peeled per pound), , leaving tail and first segent of shell intact, and
• 7 small thai chile fresh green (2 to 3 inches; preferably )
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 3 tablespoons water 

Equipment

• oven
• knife
• ziploc bags
• wok
• mortar and pestle
• box grater
• metal skewers

Directions

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
2. If using whole coconut, pierce 2 softest eyes of coconut with a small screwdriver or a metal skewer, then drain and discard liquid.
3. Bake whole coconut 15 minutes. Break shell with a hammer and remove flesh, levering it out carefully with screwdriver or point of a strong knife. Finely shred enough coconut to measure 1 cup using the 1/8-inch-wide holes of a box grater.
4. Finely grind mustard seeds with a pinch of salt in grinder. Finely chop whole chile (without slit) and mash in mortar with pestle along with ground mustard seeds and a pinch of salt until chile is finely ground.
5. Add 1 tablespoon water.
6. Mix to a paste. (Alternatively, very finely chop chile, then stir with mustard seeds and water to form a paste.)
7. Toss shrimp with turmeric and salt.
8. Heat oil in wok over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté shrimp, stirring, until it just turns pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Add grated coconut, mustard paste, remaining 6 chiles, and remaining 2 tablespoons water. Sauté, stirring, until water is absorbed and shrimp are well coated, about 2 minutes more.
10. Leftover coconut can be frozen in a sealed plastic bag up to 1 month.