Shrimp Fried Rice

• 1 lb 26-30 count uncooked shrimp , (peeled and deveined)
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cups leftover chilled white rice 
• 2 chopped carrots and a cup frozen peas
• 1 box of mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos , or added to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

1. Marinate shrimp in cornstarch, salt, and pepper for 10 minutes.
2. Cook the shrimp – Heat the skillet over medium/high heat, add cooking oil, and cook the shrimp for 1 minute per side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and reduce the heat to medium.
3. Add beaten eggs into the hot skillet and scramble with your spatula until no longer runny. Transfer to the same plate as the shrimp.
4. Cook the mushrooms in butter till brown and done.

1. Heat a mix of sesame oil and olive oil. Cook chopped onion along with sliced ginger and garlic. Then add the remaining vegetables and cook till done. 
2. Spread cooked rice into the skillet and sizzle for 1-2 minutes without stirring. Flip and sizzle another 1-2 minutes.
3. drizzle in Soy sauce. Add cooked shrimp, mushrooms and eggs back to the pan and stir to combine, and add more soy sauce to taste. 

Simplest Shrimp by Mark Bittman

Fresh Shrimp - 1 pound, peeled, rinsed and dried
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Garlic - 3 big olives, thinly sliced
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Paprika - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Salt and Pepper
Cilantro or Parsley for garnishing (optional)

Heat a large pan. Add the olive oil and sliced garlic and cook till the garlic is golden.

Increase heat and add shrimp, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and cayenne. Stir to blend and continue to cook, for around 5 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice and turning the shrimp once or twice until they are pink all over and the gravy is bubbly.

Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve immediately over steamed rice or quinoa.

Shrimp with Garlic and Cumin

Shrimp - around 1/2 lb.
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turbinado Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Garlic Pods - 12
Cumin Seeds - 2 tbsp
Cayenne Pepper - a pinch
Paprika - 1 tsp
Water - 2 tbsp
Salt
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Marinate the shrimp with salt and turmeric for a few minutes.

Make a thick paste of garlic, cumin seeds, cayenne pepper, paprika with a little water.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the sugar and once it starts to brown, add the spice paste and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the shrimp and cook till the shrimp is done and the gravy is thick. Serve with steamed rice.

Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2017/01/lahsooni-jeera-prawns.html

One Pot Shrimp Pulao

Shrimp - around half a pound, peeled and deveined
White Basmati Rice - 3/4 cup
Ghee / clarified butter - 1 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Green cardamom - 1
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Cloves - 5
Whole black peppercorn - 10
White onion - 1, thinly sliced
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Garlic - 4 cloves
Cilantro - a handful, finely chopped
Mint leaves - a handful, finely chopped
Tomato - 1, or a handful of cherry tomatoes, grated or half a tbsp of tomato paste
Paprika - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Mixed vegetables - I used finely chopped capsicum and carrot and some green peas




Heat a large heavy bottomed pan. Add the ghee and olive oil and the whole spices - cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorn.



Then add the sliced onion and cook on low heat till the onion begins to caramelise. Add ginger, garlic, cilantro and mint. Cook for a minute.



Add grated tomato, turmeric, paprika and salt. Cook till the tomato mixes well with the spices.


Now add the shrimp. Increase heat and cook for a few minutes. Add the vegetables. Toss well.



Add rice and mix everything together. Add 1.5 cups of water and bring it to boil. Then reduce heat, place a cover on the pan and cook for around 10 minutes till the rice is done.



Fluff with fork and serve hot.



Note : if you want to use brown rice, cook the rice beforehand with some whole spices and cool. Mix in the end when the spices and vegetables are cooked.

Oven Roasted Trout with Lemon and Garlic

Whole Trout - 1, (around 1 lb), cleaned and gutted
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper / a few chopped Green Chili
Lemon - 1, cut into thin roundels and a few cherry tomatoes
Fresh Lemon Thyme / Cilantro - a few sprigs
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Bread Crumbs - 1 tsp

Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil. Put a tsp of olive oil on the foil.

Wash the whole fish well and pat dry with a paper towel. Place on the baking sheet.  Apply olive oil all over and sprinkle salt and pepper and rub well everywhere including the cavity.

Arrange a few lemon slices, cherry tomatoes, thyme/cilantro leaves, green chili and crushed garlic inside the cavity. Place the remaining lemon slices under the fish.

Sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Drizzle a little olive oil and bake for around 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Fish in Parchment Paper / Fish Papillote

Fish Fillet - 2, ( I used cod here)
Lemon - 1/2, cut into very thin roundels
Lemongrass - 1 stick, cut into small pieces
Ginger - 1/2 tsp, thinly sliced
Garlic - 2 cloves - thinly sliced
Green Chili / Jalapeno - 1, deseeded and chopped
Mushrooms / Scallions - a handful, (optional)
Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Rock Salt
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400F.

Pat the fish dry with paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides. Make a mixture of ginger, garlic, green chili, lemon juice.

Fold a parchment paper in half. Place half of the chopped lemon grass on the bottom. Place a fillet on top of the lemon grass. Add the ginger garlic mixture & mushrooms & scallions, if using, on top. Cover the fillet with lemon roundels. Drizzle a little olive oil on top. Fold the parchment paper and seal from all sides. Prepare the second fillet similarly.

Place the parchment packets on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for a few minutes. Cut the parchment paper from top and serve.

 

 

 

Roasted Whole Fish with Vermouth and Tomatoes

Trout or Bronzino - 1 whole fish, cleaned and gutted ( around a pound or less in size)                      

Lemon - 1/2 thinly sliced

Garlic - 4 or 5 cloves, crushed or sliced

Olive Oil - 2 tbsp

Cherry Tomatoes - a few

Shallots - 2, cut into wedges 

Dry Vermouth / Dy White Wine - around 1/4 cup 

Dry Thyme - a sprinkle

Any Fresh herbs - a handful, I used cilantro 

Green Chili - a couple, chopped or you can use freshly ground black pepper

Salt                     

                       

Preheat the oven to 450 F.
 

Season the fish with salt and pepper.

Stuff the fish with some lemon slices, 2 cloves crushed garlic, a few herb sprigs and green chilies.

Drizzle the outside of the fish with olive oil; season.

Pour 1 tbsp olive oil in a large roasting pan. Add the tomatoes, shallots, some lemon slices, vermouth, dry thyme and the remaining crushed garlic; toss. Arrange the fish on top.

Roast until the fish is brown and crispy and opaque and the tomatoes are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Divide the tomatoes among plates. Using a serving fork and serving spoon, carefully lift the fillets away from the bones; arrange on top of the tomatoes.

Adapted from http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/quick-roasted-branzino-with-dry-vermouth-and-tomatoes/

Pan Fried Spicy Shrimp

Fresh Shrimp - 1 lb (shelled and de-veined but tail on)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - a pinch
Pink Salt - 2 pinches
Olive Oil - 2 to 3 tsp

Heat a cast iron pan. Once it is well heated, add the olive oil.

Immediately add the shrimp and mix with the oil. Sprinkle turmeric, salt and cayenne pepper and toss well. Cook on medium high heat for a couple of minutes on both sides till the shrimp becomes opaque. Do not overcook as this will turn the shrimp rubbery.

Remove from heat and serve hot.

Spicy Fish Stew / Machher Jhal

Small fish steaks - 6, I used Fresh Bronzini
Mustard oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Garlic Clove - 2 cloves, minced
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
White Onion - 1 small, thinly sliced
Tomato - 1, chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 tsp
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Salt

Apply turmeric and salt to the fish pieces and marinate for a couple of minutes. Heat mustard oil in a small wok and shallow fry the fish pieces in batches till they are light brown on both sides. Keep aside

In the same pan, add a tbsp of mustard oil or a mix of mustard oil and olive oil. Add the minced garlic, ginger, green chili and then the sliced onion. Sprinkle some salt cook till the onion starts to caramelize.

Then add the turmeric, red chili powder, cinnamon, cumin and coriander powder and chopped tomato. (the dry spices can also be mixed in a little water and then added along with the tomato). Cook till the tomato is mushy and well done.

Now add 1 cup of water and salt to taste. Cover and cook till the gravy thickens slightly. Add the fried fish steaks and cover and cook for a minute or so till the gravy becomes dryish.

Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and serve hot with steamed rice.

Fish in Yogurt Gravy

Fresh Fish Steaks / Fillets  - 5 (I used red snapper here)
Oil - 2 tbsp, if possible use mustard oil
Green Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cloves - 4
Bay Leaf - 1
Dried Whole Red Chilies - 2
Red Onion - 1 small, finely grated
Plain Whole Milk Yogurt - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Gramflour / Besan - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp (reduce the quantity if you want a light yellow gravy)
Green Chili - a couple, depending on your taste
Salt
Raw Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Apply a little bit of turmeric and salt to the fish pieces. Heat a skillet with a little mustard oil and shallow fry the fish steaks till light brown on both sides. Keep aside.

Beat the yogurt well. Add a tbsp of besan, salt, sugar, turmeric, mix well and keep aside

Heat a heavy bottomed pan. Add mustard oil and once the oil is hot, add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and dried reed chili. Then add the grated onion and cook on low fire till the onion begins to caramelize.

Remove the pan from the heat and keep aside for a few minutes. Slowly add the yogurt mixture and  green chilies and bring the pan back to low heat. Gradually increase the heat and cook on medium heat till the gravy reaches desired consistency. Add the fried fish steak and simmer for a minute more. You could also reduce the gravy considerably and make it a dry curry.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2011/02/doi-maach-rohu-fish-in-yoghurt-gravy.html

Kanta Chorchori

Mix of Fish Bones & Head
Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp.
Onion - 1, thinly sliced
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Potato - 1 thinly sliced
Green Chili - 2 chopped
Tomato - 1, thinly sliced
Raw Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Coriander Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Steam the bones lightly to half cook them. Alternatively the bones can be kept raw. It will only increase the cooking time a little.
Heat a tbsp. of mustard oil till smoking hot in a cast iron pan. Add the bones and fish head, sprinkle some salt and turmeric and cook till they are done. Remove and keep aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add sliced onion, green chili and ginger. Cook for a few minutes and then add the sliced potato. Cook on medium high heat till the potatoes are almost done.
Add sliced tomato, salt sugar, turmeric, red chili powder, cumin and coriander powder and mix well. Cook till the tomato gets mushy. (Instead of tomato and the other spices you can also use fresh mustard paste, salt  and turmeric. This will give a totally different taste).
Add the fish bones and mix. Cook for a few minutes more. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and serve hot.

Fried Pompano Fish

Pompano - 1, cut into 3 steaks
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch,
Garlic - 2 pods
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 2 tsp, grated
Cayenne powder - a pinch
Tamarind extract / Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Pink Salt
Brown Rice Powder - 1 tbsp
Semolina - 1 tbsp.
Oil for shallow frying the fish

Add a tsp of vinegar to the fish steaks and keep aside for a few minutes..

Make a paste of ginger, garlic, onion, turmeric, cayenne powder, tamarind extract, salt. Discard the vinegar, wash the fish and apply the prepared paste well all over the fish pieces and marinate overnight or for at least an hour in the fridge.

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet. Roll the pieces first in brown rice powder and then in semolina and pan fry on both sides till they are fully cooked and crisp on the outside.

Fish Croquette / Machher Chop

Fresh Trout or Tilapia Fillet - 1 lb (lightly steamed with a little salt and turmeric)
Yukon Gold Potato - 1 (lightly sleamed with the fish fillet), cooled and grated
Red Onion - 1, finely chopped
Garlic - 3, minced
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Homemade Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Salt
Sugar - 1 tsp
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Raisins - a handful
Roasted Peanuts - a handful
Lemon Juice - half lemon

Egg - 1
Salt- a pinch
Red Chili powder - a pinch
Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs or Coarse Corn Meal - 1/2 cup
Peanut oil for shallow frying

Heat oil in a pan. Add the minced garlic cloves. Immediately, add the chopped onion and green chilies and cook on medium low heat till the onion gets soft and starts to caramelize. For better taste, this has to be done on low heat and till the onion begins to get brown and slightly crispy. In between, when the onion is half cooked, add the grated ginger.

Now add the mashed potato, mashed steamed fish, salt, sugar, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala powder and cook on low fire for 5 to 10 minutes till the mixture comes together as a smooth dough. Mix the chopped cilantro, lemon juice, peanuts and raisins and keep aside to cool down.

Heat a cast iron pan and add some oil for shallow frying. Beat the egg with salt and red chili powder.

Take a small ball of mixture, press it a little to form a patty. Dip it in the egg wash, roll in bread crumbs/corn meal and shallow fry till golden brown on both sides. Serve with raw onion, ketchup and mustard sauce.

Chingri Bati Chorchori

Fresh Shrimp - 10 to 20 (depending on the size), peeled and deveined
Potato - 1 big, cut into small cubes
Mustard Oil - 2tsp + 1 tbsp after it is cooked
Yellow Onion - 1 , chopped
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp or you can use a few green chilis
Mustard powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Whole Garam Masala - 1 cinnamon, 2 cloves, 1 green cardamom
Ginger and Garlic - 1 tsp (minced)
Water - 1/2 cup
Cilantro - a handful chopped, for garnishing

You can also add a mix of other vegetables like eggplant, butternut squash, etc and/or  omit the shrimp altogether.

Mix everything together in a pan. Cover with a lid tightly and cook on slow fire till the vegetables are cooked and the gravy is thick.

Add the remaining mustard oil on top, mix well, sprinkle chopped cilantro and serve hot with steamed rice.

Shrimp Curry

Fresh Shrimp - 10 to 15 medium sized ones
Mustard Oil / Olive Oil - 3 tbsp.
Garlic Cloves - 4, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Onion - 1 medium sized, finely chopped
Homemade Tomato Paste - 2 tbsp.
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - a few pinches
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turbinado Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Water - 1 cup
Cilantro for garnishing


Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add the grated ginger, garlic and green chili. Toss for a few seconds.

Then add the chopped onion and 1/2 tsp sugar. Cook on medium low till the onion caramelizes.

Add tomato paste, turmeric, cayenne, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cook for a few minutes.

Now add the shrimp and cook for a minute more.

Add a cup of water, salt and mix everything well. Cook till the shrimp is done and the gravy thickens. Remove from heat, sprinkle chopped cilantro and serve hot with steamed rice or roti.

Instead of shrimp, we can add a few poached eggs to the same curry base to make a vegetarian dish.

Machher Mathar Chorchori

Snapper Head - 1
Mustard Oil - 3 tbsp.
Garlic - 3 cloves, finely chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch, finely chopped
Onion - 1 big or 2 small ones, thinly sliced
Potato - 1 big Yukon gold, chopped
Tomato - 1, chopped
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp
Paanch Phoron / 5 spices - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 2, chopped
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt


Heat mustard oil in a pan and fry the fish till done and brown on both sides.

In the same pan, add a pinch of paanch phoron, chopped green chilies, chopped garlic and ginger.

Then add thinly sliced onion, salt and sugar. Cook till the onion gets soft.

Add the chopped potato slices, turmeric and salt. Cook till the potato is done.

Now add chopped tomato, red chili powder and cook till everything comes together.

Add the cooked fish head, break it into small pieces and mix with the onion and potato. Cook covered for a couple of minutes more.

Pan Seared Halibut with Rosemary Crust

Halibut Fillet - 2 (around 5 oz each, preferably refrigerated overnight to keep the fish firm)
Rock Salt
Pepper
Flour - 1 tbsp. (APF or use brown rice flour for gluten free option)
Fresh Rosemary Leaves - 1/2 tsp, chopped
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.

Heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat till it is almost almost smoking hot.

Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Mix the rosemary leaves with the flour. Dust the fillet with the rosemary flour.

Add the olive oil to the smoking pan. Place the fish fillet on the pan, reduce the heat slightly and cook for around 5 minutes till the bottom is brown and crispy. Carefully flip the fillet and cook on the other side for a few minutes more.

Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Steamed Fish with Lemon & Shallots

Fresh White fish like Red Snapper or Trout Fillet - 2
Butter - 1 tbsp.
Shallot - finely sliced, about 1 tbsp.
Ginger - 1/2 inch, julienned
Garlic - 2 cloves - finely slived
Lemon - 1, cut into thin roundels
Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Green Chili - 3
Rock Salt


Preheat oven to 400F.

Pat the fish fillets dry. Add soft butter, shallots, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, green chili and salt. Mix together.

Take 2 aluminum foils. Place a few lemon roundels on bottom and place the fillet on top along with the shallot mixture. Place a couple of lemon roundels on top.

Cover the foil tightly over each fish fillet to make an airtight pocket.

Place on a baking tray and bake for around 20 to 25 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roasted Red Snapper with Lemon & Thyme

Whole Red Snapper - 1, (scaled and gutted, around 1.5 lbs)
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Pink Himalayan Salt / Rock Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Lemon - 1, cut into thin roundels
Fresh Lemon Thyme - a few sprigs
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed

Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil. Put a tsp of olive oil on the foil.

Wash the whole snapper well and pat dry with a paper towel. Place on the baking sheet.  Apply olive oil all over and sprinkle salt and pepper and rub well everywhere including the cavity.

Arrange a few lemon slices, thyme leaves and crushed garlic inside the cavity. Place the remaining lemon slices over the fish.

Drizzle a little olive oil on top and bake for around 30 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Crispy Coconut Shrimp

Fresh Shrimp - 1 lb, shelled but tail on
Cornstarch - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/8 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp
Egg White - 1, beaten
Shredded Dry Unsweetened Coconut - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp, mix with the shredded coconut
Peanut Oil for deep frying

Mix cornstarch, salt and chili powder in a bowl. Drop the shrimp in the mixture and coat well.

Heat peanut oil in a skillet. Lift each shrimp by the tail from the cornstarch mix, dip in egg white and roll in coconut sugar mixture and drop in the medium low heated oil. Similarly add a couple of more shrimps to the skillet.

Fry for a minute on both sides till golden brown. Remove on paper towel to soak up excess oil and serve hot with garlic sauce.