Sweet and Sour Prawns and Mushrooms

Recipe No: 228
I have only vague memories of this dish that my Mother in Law made once, when we reached home after a long travel. I was not able to see her making it, but the taste lasted on my taste buds long enough to be recreated. But the real inspiration was the presence of small amounts of both Prawns and Mushrooms waiting to be used in the refrigerator and being a Saturday, I decided to make something special with it, that will make all of us happy.

I had already posted my recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork, but this is a slightly different version and I just want to show another way of preparing a sweet and sour dish.

Ingredients                                   Serves 3-4
To make the Prawn and Mushroom Balls

• Prawns cleaned…………….150 grams (shelled and deveined; 15 big ones)
• Mushroom……………………300 grams (10-12 big Button Mushrooms)
• Soy Sauce…………………….1 Teaspoon
• Spring Onion chopped…..2 Tablespoons
• Salt……………………………...1/3 Teaspoon
• Pepper Powder……………..1/4 Teaspoon
• Ginger Garlic Paste……....1/3 Teaspoon
• Corn Flour…………………...1 Teaspoon + extra to coat the balls
• Oil for deep frying

To Saute

• Oil……………………………….1 Tablespoon
• Garlic chopped fine………2 Tablespoons
• Celery chopped fine……..3 Tablespoons
• Green Onion chopped…..2 (separate white and green portions)
• Onion chopped…………….1/4 Cup

To Make the Sauce

• Vinegar……………………....1 Tablespoon
• Sugar………………………….1 Tablespoon
• Soy Sauce……………………1 Teaspoon
• Ketch Up………………….…2 Tablespoons
• Corn flour…………………..3/4 Teaspoon
• Water…………………………1/2 Cup
• Pepper Powder……………1/8 Teaspoon

Method of Preparation
To make the Prawn and Mushroom Balls

1. Wash and dry the Prawns really well.
2. Clean the Mushrooms (No peeling necessary) and either steam for 10 minutes or drop it in boiling Water and boil for 5 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.
3. Once cooled, squeeze and drain as much water as possible.
4. Cut the drained Mushrooms and Prawns and grind them into a smooth paste using a food processor or a dry grinder.
5. To the ground mixture, add Ginger Garlic Paste, Soy Sauce, Spring Onion, Salt, Pepper Powder and a teaspoon of Corn Starch; mix really well and make 15 equal sized balls.
6. Roll the Balls in more Corn Flour and keep aside till ready to be used.
7. Heat at least an inch of Oil in a frying pan on medium high heat and deep fry the Prawn and Mushroom Balls till golden brown. Drain the excess Oil on a paper towel and keep them aside till ready to be used.

To make the sauce

1. Mix together all the ingredients in the ‘to make the Sauce’ section into a smooth sauce; keep aside till ready to be used.

To make Sweet and Sour Prawns and Mushroom

1. Drain all the Oil except a Tablespoon from the pan after deep frying.
2. To that pan on medium high heat, add Garlic and Celery and saute for 30 seconds before adding Green Onion Whites and Onion.
3. Sauce for a minute and add the Prawn and Mushroom Balls followed by the prepared Sauce.
4. Mix everything well and let the sauce boil and become thick. Add more Salt if needed at this stage.
5. Boil for a minute; sprinkle the Spring Onion Greens; switch off the heat and serve hot with boiled White Rice.

Notes:

• It is necessary to steam or boil the Mushrooms in order to get rid of the moisture.
• Squeeze the Mushrooms  and dry the Prawns really well with paper towel to take away as much Water as possible since Water is an enemy in the making of Prawn and Mushroom Balls.
• Don’t over crowd the pan while frying the Balls. Even though the Prawn and Mushroom balls are a bit on the softer side, it generally won’t break apart in the Oil. (Corn Flour binds it together as we are not using Egg.) But if it does, add a bit more Corn Flour to the ground mixture.
• The Oil should be really hot when the balls are dropped and maintain the temperature on medium high. They will be cooked in 2-3 minutes; don’t rush the process by putting it on very high heat.
• The Prawns and Mushroom Balls as such is an excellent appetizer if served with Ketchup or Mayonnaise.
• Take care not to brown Garlic, Celery and Onion while sauteing.
• The level of the Sauce can be adjusted according to your preference. I love to have some sauce if served with Rice. But it is also possible to make it dry and serve it as an appetizer. (Use a toothpick in that case for easy serving.)

 





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Shrimp curried in Coconut Milk

Recipe No: 195

This is a very easy yet tasty Shrimp Curry. I learned the secret of grinding Shrimp along with the Masala, first from Vahrehvah.com and later found that this is common in Thai cuisine. Well that feature in this curry gives its gravy a delectable taste. Just try for yourself…

Ingredients                                       Serves 3

• Shelled and deveined Raw Shrimp…250 grams
• Vegetable Oil……………………………...2 Tablespoons
• Tomato chopped………………………...1 big
• Coriander Leaves………………………..2 Tablespoons
• Thick Coconut Milk………………..…..1 Cup
• Vinegar……………………………….…….1/2 Teaspoon
• Pinch of Sugar
• Salt to taste

To grind into a smooth paste

• Red Chilly Powder………………………1 Teaspoon
• Coriander Powder…………………..….1 Teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder……………………....1/2 Teaspoon
• Shallots sliced…………………………....1/4 Cup
• Ginger Garlic paste…………………….1 Teaspoon
• Prawns……………………………………..2 big/ 4 small

Method of Preparation

1. Grind all the ingredients given in the ‘to grind’ section into a smooth paste using very little Water and keep aside till ready to be used.
2. Heat Oil in a pan on medium high heat and saute the ground paste till the Oil oozes out, stirring often.
3. Add the Tomato and ¼ cup Water and let it cook till the tomatoes are mashed and the Oil is separated.
4. Add Salt, Sugar, Coriander Leaves, Coconut Milk and ¼ Cup Water; mix well and let it boil on medium high heat.
5. Once boiled, add the shrimp and let it cook for about 5-8 minutes or till the Shrimp is cooked properly.
6. Once cooked, mix in the Vinegar and serve it hot with Rice or any flat breads.

Notes:

• Sauteing the Masala till Oil oozes out is very important as it removes the raw taste and makes the gravy delicious.
• Don't avoid the Prawns while grinding the Masala as it makes the gravy very delicious.
• Shrimp have a short cooking time. Cooking them long will make it rubbery/ hard.
• I found that whole head-on Raw Shrimp gives a very soft texture when cooked than the head off or peeled Shrimp. So I prefer to clean the Shrimp just before cooking. Freezing whole Raw Shrimp will protect its texture.
• If you are squeezing fresh Coconut, do mix 1st and 2nd Milk and avoid using extra Water.

 





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Shrimp Pasta

Recipe No: 188
My husband loves Cajun Shrimp Pasta, which he orders no matter what kind of a restaurant he is in… American, Italian or even a Steak house!!! It is slightly hot due to the Cajun spices, which I decided to imitate with the usual spices in my kitchen.

Ingredients                                          Serves 2

• Any kind of Long Pasta….100 grams (I used multigrain Angel Hair Pasta)
• Olive Oil……………………....2 Tablespoons
• Shallots chopped…………..4 big ones
• Garlic chopped………….…..3 big ones
• Heavy Cream………………..1 Cup
• Tomato chopped…………...1/2 big
• Dried Basil, Thyme and Oregano…1/4 Teaspoon each (Optional; will taste good without too)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

To marinate the Prawns

• Raw Shrimp……………….15 big ones (Remove shells and veins, wash and dry)
• Black Pepper Powder…..1/2 Teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder………1/2 Teaspoon (Paprika or Kashmiri Chilly Powder is the best)
• Salt………………………..…1/2 Teaspoon

Method of Preparation

1. Cook the Pasta as per the instructions on its cover (The cooking time will vary with type, brand and shape of the Pasta) in lots of salted Water. Don’t cook it too much as it will finish cooking in the sauce. Drain it and reserve ½ Cup Pasta cooking Water for later use.
2. Marinate the cleaned Shrimp with the ingredients mentioned in the marinade section and keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. Heat Olive Oil in a pan on medium high heat and fry the Shrimp till just cooked for about a minute on each side.
4. To it add Shallots and Garlic and saute for a minute stirring constantly.
5. Add  Cream and the Pasta Water that we reserved and let it boil.
6. Add Salt and Pepper to taste and once boiled thoroughly, add the cooked Pasta and let it boil on high heat for a minute or two till the sauce is reduce to the amount you want. (I like to have some sauce left, as the Pasta tends to absorb more sauce as it sits.)
7. Off the heat and add chopped Tomato and the dried herbs (if using); mix once more and serve hot.

Notes:

• Cook Pasta slightly less and let it finish cooking in the Sauce which will make it taste good.
• If you don’t have dried herbs use fresh Basil or Thulsi if possible.
• A good healthy substitute for Cream is white sauce. If you decide to go with that then, add a Tablespoon of Flour to the pan after sauteing the Garlic and Shallots; fry till the raw smell is gone; add a cup of Milk and stir till it thickens on low heat. Then follow the rest of the procedure of adding Pasta and the cooking liquid. (But I will suggest use Cream at least once to know its real taste!!)
• Add Tomato only at the end to prevent it from mashing.
• If you have more than one stove, then you can multitask making this dish. Start to boil the Water and then clean and marinate the Shrimp, followed by preparing the Shallots and Garlic. Once you drop the Pasta, make the sauce in another stove. That way, you can drop the Pasta in the sauce as soon as it is drained, which I think is important as the Pasta tends to absorb more sauce when it is hot.

 






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Crab Roast

Recipe No: 160

A few days before when I posted my Mothers Shrimp Curry recipe, I mentioned about our Fish Monger, Mariya Chedathi.  Well Crab was also usual in her basket. I still remember she running with her signature bent posture to catch the Crabs that escaped from her basket, with me watching the whole thing with the curiosity of a kid. The most taunting task is to kill and clean the Crabs but here in US, already cooked Crabs are available in most of the stores that sells Fishes and other Seafoods.

Ingredients                                                Serves 4
To Grind

• Shallots sliced…………………….1/4 Cup
• Ginger Garlic paste………….….2 Teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder………..…….1 Teaspoon
• Coriander Powder……………...2 Teaspoon
• Pepper Powder……………………1/2 Teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder………………..1/4 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder…….….1 Teaspoon
• Vinegar……………………….…….1 Tablespoon
• Salt……………………………………3/4 Teaspoon

To Saute

• Cleaned Crab………………..……1/2 kg (I used Dungeness crab, tap to make cracks on the legs pieces)
• Coconut Oil………………………..3 Tablespoons
• Onion Sliced…………………..…..2 Cups
• Curry Leaves………………….…..2 Sprigs
• Kokum/ Kudampuli…………….2 big pieces
• ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder, a sprig of Curry Leaf and 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil to sprinkle in the end

Method of Preparation

1. Grind all the ingredients mentioned in the ‘to grind’ section into a course paste (using 1 or 2 tablespoons of Water if needed) and keep aside till ready to be used.
2. Heat Coconut Oil in a pan on medium high heat and saute the Onion and Curry Leaves till it becomes golden brown.
3. Add the ground paste and saute on a medium heat till the raw smell is gone for about 4–5 minutes. (Don’t rush the process and stir constantly to avoid burning during this step)
4. Add Crab pieces, Kokum and 2 cups of Water; mix well; close the pan and let it cook on medium heat till almost all of the Water is evaporated. Add more salt if needed.
5. Once almost dry, sprinkle ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder, some Curry Leaves (tear them for better flavor) and some Coconut Oil on top; switch off the heat; close the pan and let it sit for 20 minutes before serving with Rice.

Notes:

• For cleaning the Crab: First take off the legs and cut or break then along the joints. Tap to crack the shells of the legs which will allow the Masala to penetrate the meat. Remove the Carapace or the big shell from the top and an elongated shell from the underside.  Once this is removed, take off the gills and the waste (yellow in color) from the underside. Make the body into 4 pieces. Wash and keep them ready.
• When you take the Carapace or the big shell off, sticking onto it you will find some yellowish thing called ‘Crab Butter’. It is usually said to give Crab preparations a very good taste. But at the same time most of the chemical pollutants specially the heavy metals from the Water in which the Crabs lived tend to accumulate in this. So it is safer to discard Crab Butter unless you are very sure that it is from a less polluted water body.
• Don't avoid Kokum as it balances the natural sweetness of Crab apart from giving this dish its special flavor.
• Don’t skip the process of sprinkling Oil, Garam Masala and Curry Leaves in the end as it gives a very pleasant smell to the dish.
• Allow it to rest in its own cooking vessel for some time which is referred to as ‘Pathrapakam’ by elders meaning the time for the dish to attain its real taste  sitting in its own cooking vessel.

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Prawn/ Shrimp Curry (Konchu Kudam puli ittu Curry Vachathu)

Recipe No: 156

Back when I was small, we used to have a usual fish monger lady, whom we used to call ‘Mariya Chedathi’. Her voice was very characteristic of her, as it was heard at least three houses down street if she spoke softly!!! . Even if she had that voice she used to deliver some of the best fishes and sometimes used to clean it for my mother and Prawns were one among them. Even though I was very small at that time to appreciate the goodness of the ingredients and the awesomeness of my Mother’s preparations, this one Curry always lingers around my tongue… especially because she used to make this even now as it is one of my Father’s favorites. This is how she used to make...

Ingredients                             Serves 4

• Prawn shelled and cleaned….2 Cups
• Shallots cut into big pieces….1 Cup
• Ginger Chopped fine………….1 Tablespoon
• Coconut pieces……………..…..1/4 cup
• Curry Leaves…………………….2 Sprigs
• Kokum/ Kudampuli…………..2 big pieces
• Coconut Oil………………….…..1 Tablespoon

To Grind

• Chilly Powder……………………3/4 – 1 Teaspoon
• Coriander Powder……………..1 ¼ Teaspoons
• Turmeric Powder…………..….1/2 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder………3/4 Teaspoon
• Garlic....................................1 big clove
• Shallots………………..………….2
• Salt……………………...………….as per needed

Method of Preparation

1. Grind all the ingredients in the ‘to grind’ section into a smooth paste.
2. Mix Prawns, Shallots, Ginger, Coconut Pieces, Kokum, one sprig of Curry Leaf and the ground paste along with ¾ cup Water in a ‘Chatti’ (an earthen cooking vessel) and cook it on high heat till it boils nicely.
3. Once boiled, lower the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes or till the prawns are cooked well. Add more Salt if needed.
4. Once cooked, drizzle the Coconut Oil and some torn Curry Leaves on top; close the pan and let it sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Notes:

• One thing that needs special attention is the freshness of the Prawn. You can make this with raw frozen cleaned Shrimp, but it tends to become a bit hard while cooking. Instead, if you use head on Shrimp (even if it is previously frozen) the Prawns in the prepared Curry will be very soft (A secret told to me by a friend of mine, but later felt it myself). So whenever I buy head on Shrimp, I like to make this.
• Don't slice the Shallots thin. Cut them into two if small and  quarter, if big.
• This Curry is best when it is made with homemade Garam Masala. (Get the recipe here)
• Don't try to avoid 'Kokum'  as it gives the characteristic taste and also will help balance out the natural sweetness of the Prawns. These are available most of the Indian stores.
• Don’t forget to sprinkle Coconut Oil and Curry Leaves on top. It will give an enticing aroma to the Curry.
• Leave the Curry covered in the end for some time. The older generation calls it ‘Parthrapakam’ which means the time for the dish to reach perfection in its own cooking vessel.

 






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Kanava Thoran (Stir fried Squid with Coconut)

Recipe No: 133

Ingredients                                  Serves 5

• Squid cut into small pieces….....2 Cups
• Coconut Oil…………………………..2 Tablespoons
• Mustard Seeds………………………1/2 Teaspoon
• Shallots sliced……………………….1/3 Cup
• Curry Leaves………………………..2 Sprigs
• Kokum/ Kudampuli………………3 small pieces
• A bit of Coconut Oil and a sprig of Curry leaf to put on top.

To Grind

• Onion chopped……………………….1/4 Cup
• Garlic…………………………………….2 big cloves
• Ginger…………………………………...1 small piece
• Grated unsweetened Coconut…..3/4 Cup
• Indian Green Chilly…………….…..2 (Cut into small pieces)
• Turmeric powder…………………….1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt……………………………………....3/4 Teaspoon
• Red Chilly powder…………………..1/2 Teaspoon
• Uluva/ Fenugreek powder………..1/8 Teaspoon

Method of Preparation

1. Grind all the ingredients in the ‘to grind’ section to a course consistency and keep aside till ready to be used.
2. In a  pan (Manchatti- an earthen cookware preferred) on medium high heat, add Coconut Oil and let it become hot. Swirl the pan so that the Oil spreads all over the base of the Pan.
3. Add Mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add sliced Shallots and Curry leaves and saute till it is golden brown in color.
4. Add Squid, Kokum (Kudampuli) and the ground Coconut mixture, mix well, add two tablespoons of Water and close the pan. Let it cook on medium low heat till all the water is evaporated and the Squid is cooked through. This will take only around 10 minutes.
5. Taste for Salt and add more if needed.
6. Pour a bit of Coconut Oil and tear some Curry Leaves on top and close the lid. Switch off the flame and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving hot with rice.

Notes:

• A lot of water will ooze out of Squid while cooking. So it is not necessary to add more water while cooking.
• I happened to have some cleaned big squid tubes in the refrigerator with which I made this dish. If you get the small ones cut it into rounds which will give that signature look of Squid thoran.

 




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Blackened Prawns

Recipe No: 130
This dish came up as an accident while I was trying to make some Prawns to put on top of the Roasted Tomato Soup. But when tasted, I was so amazed by its taste and so  decided to make it into a separate recipe. If the prawns are cleaned and the ingredients are prepped this will practically take only 3 minutes to prepare. As my husband commented ‘this will go perfect with 'drinks’….

Ingredients                           Serves 2

• Large Shrimp………........15 no (Clean, slit lengthwise with the last segment attached)
• Salt…………………….........As per taste
• Oil…………………………….3 Tablespoons
• Mustard Seeds…….........1/2 Teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder…......1/2 Teaspoon
• Coriander Powder……....1 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder…1/4 Teaspoon
• Black Pepper Powder…..1/4 Teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder………..1/4 Teaspoon
• Ginger..................…….…1/2 Tablespoon(Sliced into thin, long pieces)
• Garlic...................…..…..1 Teaspoon(Sliced into thin, long pieces)
• Curry Leaves…………..….1 Sprig

Method of Preparation

1.  Split the prawns lengthwise till the last segment along the line that we make to remove the digestive system.(Take a look at the photo) Take care not to detach both halves. Remove the thin thread (digestive system) on its back, wash and pat dry.
2. Marinate the Prawns with Salt and keep aside till ready to be used.
3. Mix Red Chilly Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Garam Masala Powder and Pepper Powder and keep aside.
4. Heat Oil in a pan on medium high heat and add the Mustard Seeds and let it splutter.
5. Add the Sliced Ginger, Garlic and Curry leaves to the hot Oil and saute for 30 seconds or it is starts to brown along the edges.
6. Add the Spice Mixture and fry for another 30 seconds or until its raw smell is   gone. Take care not to burn it but still it should attain a light black color. Do stir constantly.
7. Add the marinated Shrimp and saute till it is cooked through. This will take only two minutes on medium high heat.
8. Remove from heat and serve hot with rice.

Notes:

• Shrimp has only a very small cooking time and in this case it will be even lesser as the Shrimp is already split lengthwise almost along its entire length. 
• Splitting the Shrimp as mentioned in this recipe will make it appear larger.
• Keep everything ready before starting to cook, as the dish will be ready in minutes.
• The amount of Oil mentioned in the recipe is crucial and also it will be better to make this in a wok like pan so that the Oil won't spread out too much, as the spice mixture need to fry  immersed in the hot Oil for maximum taste. 

 




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Squid/ Kanava Masala

Recipe No: 117

Last week when we went to a fish market we got cleaned Squid tubes. These were so large that there were only 5 tubes in the 2lb I bought. So I thought it is a perfect time to make this dish.

Ingredients                                             Serves 4

• Cleaned Squid…………………2 heaping cups (Cut into bite size pieces)
• Oil…………………………………2 Tablespoons
• Mustard seeds……………….1/2 Teaspoon
• Shallots sliced………...………1/2 Cup
• Ginger sliced thin...…………2 Tablespoons
• Garlic sliced thin…….………2 Tablespoons
• Slit Green Chilly……..………2
• Curry Leaves………………...2 Sprigs
• Coriander Powder………....2 Teaspoons
• Red Chilly Powder………...3/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder…….…….1/4 Teaspoon
• Black Pepper Powder……..1/2 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder.….1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt…………………….………..As per Taste
• Tomato sliced……………….1 Small
• Vinegar…………………….….1/4 Teaspoon
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala, a sprig of Curry Leaf and a teaspoon of Coconut Oil for sprinkling on top in the end

Method of Preparation

1. Heat Oil in a pan on medium high heat and put the Mustard Seeds; let it splutter.
2. Add Sliced Shallots, Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilly and Curry Leaves and fry till it is golden brown in color.
3. Lower the heat to low and add Coriander Powder, Red Chilly Powder, Turmeric Powder, Black Pepper Powder, Garam Masala Powder and Salt and saute till the raw smell is gone for about 3 minutes.
4. Add Squid and saute for 3 more minutes. Add the Tomato together with 1 cup of water and transfer everything to a Pressure Cooker and cook till 5 whistles.
5. Once the Pressure is gone, open the pan and let the extra water evaporate.  Mix in the Vinegar.
6. Add ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder, a sprig of Curry Leaf and a teaspoon of Coconut Oil on top and cover it and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving hot with rice or Chappathi/ Roti. Don't forget to mix thoroughly before serving.

Notes:

• Squid has three phases in cooking. If you cook it for a minute only it will be soft but it will become hard when you cook more than that. But if you cook it for a long time or pressure cook, it will become soft. I prefer this for Indian dishes because it will give enough time for the Squid to absorb all the flavors.

 




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Mussels fry (Kakka Irachi fry)

Recipe No: 110

Even though a sea food, I like to cook this more like a meat using Garam Masala. It is a time consuming job to get Mussels cleaned so if you can get already cleaned ones then this dish will be a breeze. If you can get only fresh ones please read the notes section to learn how to clean it properly.

Ingredients                                            Serves 5

To Marinate

• Cleaned Mussels………....1 ½ Cups (It will be semi cooked if you follow my way of cleaning)
• Red Chilly Powder……….1 Teaspoon
• Coriander Powder…….....1 Teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder………..1/2 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder…3/4 Teaspoon
• Pepper Powder……………1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt……………………..……..1/2 Teaspoon
• Ginger Garlic Paste.……..1 Teaspoon
• Lime Juice…………..……...1 Teaspoon

To Saute

• Oil…………………………………..2 Tablespoons
• Cardamom Pods……………....5 (Crushed)
• Ginger and Garlic crushed...2 Tablespoons
• Onion thinly sliced…………….2 Cups
• Curry Leaves…………………...2 Sprigs
• 1/3 Teaspoon of Garam Masala powder, 1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil and a sprig of Curry Leaf for sprinkling on top at the end.

Method of Preparation

1. Marinate the Mussels with all the ingredients mentioned in the marinade section of the recipe. Use a tablespoon of Water if the marinade is too dry. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat Oil in a pan on medium high heat and add crushed Cardamom pods and saute till fragrant.
3. Add crushed Ginger and Garlic and saute for 30 seconds and add the sliced Onion and Curry Leaves. Saute till it is golden brown in color.
4. When the Onion is golden brown add the marinated Mussels and lower the heat to medium and fry the Mussels for about 10 minutes. The raw smell of all the Masalas used should be gone and the Mussels should be coated well with the Onion mixture. Add more Salt if necessary.
5. Just before switching it off add some crushed Curry leaves, a teaspoon of Coconut Oil and 1/3 teaspoon of Garam Masala powder.
6. Mix well and serve hot with Rice.

Notes:

• To clean the fresh Mussels: Take off the thread like thing that is present at the end of each shell. (This is used by the Mussels to attach them to a support in water.) Wash it 2 or 3 times and put it in a pot and add 1/4 Cup of water. Let it boil until the shells open up. Once the shells are opened take it off the flame and let it cool. When cooled, take the Mussel flesh out of their shells.  At the back of the meat there is a small round portion of waste. Press it with your fingers so that the waste is removed. After doing this to all of the Mussels wash those 3 or 4 times to get rid of any left over sand particles.
• While cleaning, look for Mussels whose shells are opened. When you find one, tap the shell a few times. If the shell closes  it indicates that it is still alive and is perfectly okay to use. If the shell is not closing, then it indicates that the Mussel is already dead. Get rid of those as we don't know when it died.
• It will take around 5 pounds of Whole Mussels to get 1 ½ cups of clean Mussel flesh.

 




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Dry Shrimp and Coconut Stir Fry/ Unakka Konchu Thoran

Recipe No: 88

Unakka Konchu thoran used to be a part of Christian feasts back in the days before Cabbage started taking its place. So whenever my mother prepares a big feast for elder people, she makes this and almost all the time she gets good comments. So recently when I visited an Asian store, I came across this good and clean dried shrimp which awoke my memories on this preparation. To my amazement this didn't give that sharp smell caused by dried fishes and I should say it tasted awesome too… So here it goes a recipe straight from my mother’s kitchen…

Ingredients                                    Serves 6-8

• Clean Dry Shrimp…………..100gms./ 3.5oz/ 1 Cup
• Dry Red Chilly………………..2
• Coconut Grated……………...1 Cup
• Turmeric Powder…………...1/2 Teaspoon
• Green Chilly…………………..4-5 (Depending on your heat tolerance)
• Shallots sliced………………...1/2 Cup
• Ginger Chopped……………..1 Teaspoon
• Garlic Clove…………………...1 Large
• Coconut Oil…………………….1 ½ Tablespoons
• Curry Leaves………………….2 Sprigs
• Salt as per taste

Method of Preparation

1. Wash the Dried Shrimp really good by rubbing it in water at least three times and drain really good by squeezing.
2. Grind together Dry red Chilly, Coconut, Turmeric Powder, Green Chilly, Shallots, Salt, Ginger and Garlic well.
3. To this add the Shrimp and grind once more so that some of the Shrimp is crushed and some are left whole.
4. Put all these into a pan together with Curry leaves and salt, add ½ cup of water, close the pan and cook this on high heat till it boils and then reduce the flame and cook till all the water is absorbed.
5. Once cooked add the Coconut oil and some crushed Curry leaves on top, close the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
6. Serve hot with rice.

Notes:

• Cleaning whole dried Shrimp can be done in two ways. One is that you can pick the head and appendages directly. Another way is heating it in a pan without any oil till it is hot and then crush it lightly with your hands; the head and the appendages will separate easily.
• Be careful while adding salt as the dried shrimp may be salty at times.

Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
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Paneer and Shrimp in Yogurt Sauce

Recipe No: 30
The basis of this recipe is from an Asian Stir Fry book by Linda Doeser. Even though the taste of the original dish was good, it didn’t go well in my house. So being a person, who knows the taste buds of my family, I made some changes, and now whenever I make this, even my little four year old fellow will lick his fingers!!!

Ingredients                                                           Serves 4

• Paneer…………………………..6oz (If cut into medium sized pieces this will be a heaping one cup)
• Shrimp………………………….300 grams (mine came around 19 big shrimps)
• Yogurt…………………………..1/2 cup
• Tomato Sauce……………….5 Tablespoons
• Garam Masala powder…1 ½ Teaspoon
• Red Chilly powder………..1 Teaspoon
• Coriander powder………..2 Teaspoons
• Turmeric powder………….1/4 Teaspoon
• Garlic chopped……………..1 Tablespoon
• Green Chilly chopped……1 Tablespoon
• Butter……………………………2 Tablespoons
• Oil………………………………….2 Tablespoons
• Cream + Milk…………………2/3 Cup (mix 1/3 cup of both Milk and Heavy cream)
• Cilantro/Coriander leaves…3-4 Tablespoons chopped
• Salt as per taste

Method of Preparation

1. Mix together Yogurt, Tomato sauce, Garam Masala powder, Chilly powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Garlic, Green Chilly and Salt and keep aside.
2. Heat Butter and Oil in a deep pan on high heat and fry the Paneer till a very light golden color. Remove them with a slotted spoon on to a plate.
3. To the rest of the oil in the pan add the shrimp, sprinkle some salt on top and fry for a minute on both sides. If there is no oil please add a little more. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside. If needed fry it in batches.
4. To the rest of the oil in the pan add the yogurt mixture and sauté them well for about 3 minutes.
5. Add the Paneer and Shrimp back to the yogurt, mix well, close with a lid, reduce the heat to medium and let it finish cooking for 4 -5 minutes.
6. When it is cooked, add the cream milk mixture and let it boil along the sides.
7. Add Coriander leaves and serve hot on top of boiled Basmati rice.

Notes: You can use milk only if you desire to make this dish. In fact I used only low fat milk to make this dish and hence a dark color. Instead of Cream you can also use half and half. (The regular half and half that is available in the grocery stores contains 50% heavy cream and 50% milk)

You can fry Paneer in long blocks of 1 cm. thickness in a shallow flat pan and then cut into pieces, that way the oil used can be considerably reduced.

 

Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
serve it to your family with love...