SHRIMP MALAI CURRY

Ingredients

500gm (10 pieces) large size shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail intact

1 cup homemade thick coconut milk

½ cup homemade light coconut milk

1 tsp dry chilli powder

1 tsp paprika powder

1½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup shallot paste

1 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp ginger paste

1-inch cinnamon stick

1 tbsp lemon juice

6-7 green chillies

¼ cup caramelised onion

Method

Marinate the shrimp with ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and a pinch of salt. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, fry the shrimp for one minute on each side and remove. In a wok, add oil, stir in onion, garlic and ginger paste with cinnamon sticks. Fry until aroma is released. Add dry chilli, paprika, turmeric, salt and sugar with the light coconut milk. Keep stirring until oil floats to the top. Add the fried shrimp, thick coconut milk, and green chilli. Cover and cook on high heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the caramelised onion and lemon juice. Adjust the taste. Cover and cook on low heat or 2-3 minutes, and serve.

SPICY FISH WITH BASIL LEAVES

Ingredients

400gm Basa fish fillet, cubed

10 bird’s eye chillies

6 garlic cloves, thumb sized

4 coriander roots

¼ cup oil

2 cups holy basil leaves

¼ cup red spur chilli, thinly sliced

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp sugar

½ cup water

Method

In a mortar, add coriander root, garlic cloves and bird’s eye chilli to make a paste. Add oil in a wok, set to high heat, add the coriander paste from the mortar. Stir-fry until it softens and a strong aroma develops. Add the fish fillet cubes and all the seasoning. Add the water and cover. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the fish is tender. Add the holy basil, and mix well. Adjust the taste, remove from heat and serve.

SMALL SARDINES WITH BABY SPINACH TOPPED WITH CORN SALSA

Ingredients

1 cup white grape juice

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped green chilli pickle

1 tbsp adobo sauce

1 tsp chopped garlic

3 (300gm approx.) small sardine fish

For the spinach —

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp garlic, minced

¼ tsp salt

100gm baby spinach

For the corn salsa —

1/3 cup corn kernels

1 tbsp chopped green chillies

2 tbsp diced red onion

½ cup diced tomatoes

2 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp sea salt

¼ cup chopped coriander leaves

Method

Combine white grape juice, lemon juice, green chilli pickle, adobo sauce and garlic. Pour over fish and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, remove, and pat dry.

Preheat oven to 250° C. Place the fish in a buttered baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until done. Heat a frying pan and fry the garlic until light golden brown. Add salt and spinach. Stir fry for 5 minutes and remove from the heat.

Prepare corn salsa: combine all ingredients in a saucepan, except coriander leaves, and heat until warm. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the coriander leaves.

Place baby spinach on a platter, top with the fish and spoon-on corn salsa.

Photo courtesy: Shaheda Yesmin