Place the cleaned shrimp into a large mixing bowl.
Add the cumin, curry powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt and mix well. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil into the bowl and mix again. You will end up with shrimp in a paste like mixture.
Place a large pan over a medium high heat and add the remaining vegetable oil.
Once hot add the shrimp and quickly sear the shrimp for about a minute per side. Once done, remove and place on a warmed plate to one side for a little later.
Making the sauce
Add the vegetable oil and tablespoon of butter to the shrimp pan and put it back on a medium high heat.
Add the chopped onion and fry for 3 – 4 minutes stirring often. This will help release any good bits stuck to the pan.
Add the garlic and ginger and fry for no more than 1 minute. You don’t want them to be burnt.
Add the cumin, coriander, curry powder, garam masala to the pan and stir well.
After no more than 20 seconds add the passata, sugar, salt chili powder and coconut milk and stir well.
Leave it alone now to simmer away for a few minutes to give the sauce time to settle and thicken. 5 minutes should be enough.
Assembly/Serving
Add the seared shrimp back to the pan and cook for about another minute. The shrimp were nearly cooked already from earlier.
Remove from the heat and serve immediately with hot naan bread and fluffy rice.
I like to garnish with chopped coriander/cilantro or parsley.