Hot and spicy Shrimps Thokku

It has been long since I made Non veg dishes here. As I've recovered from my recent surgery just a few months before, none could force me too.  I hesitate to prepare non veg recipes as I've to prepare veg recipes exclusively for me and that needs lots of work and time. But with shrimps, things become easy and I can prepare them with different twists and with less time and energy, of course I mean cleaned and frozen shrimps.  

Last dinner, I prepared this hot and spicy shrimps thokku as accompaniment to Dosa though I prepared coconut chutney for me. Thokku refers to semi-dry curry, that is, prepared without adding water. This goes well with rice and also with Idli/Dosa.

Ingredients:

Shrimps 400g
Onions - Medium sized - 2
Tomato - Big - 1
Finely chopped Ginger and Garlic 1 tsp each
Cloves 2
Fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon a small stick
Curry leaves few
Oil
Salt

Masala

Dried Red Chillies 2 (I use very hot chillies.)
Peppercorns 3/4 tsp
Coriander seeds 2 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp

Preparation:

Chop Onions and Tomatoes.

Method:

In a pan, fry all the ingredients under Masala individually and keep it in a mixer jar.

In the same pan, heat little oil and add chopped ginger, garlic, onions(1). When they turn translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Fry until the skin of the tomatoes slightly peels off and the oil separates. Add this to the mixer and  grind it together.

In the same pan, add little more oil and add cloves, cinnamon and fennel seeds. When they turn slightly brown, add the chopped onions (1). When they turn translucent, add the ground mixture. Fry till the raw smell completely goes off. Now add the shrimps and fry for few seconds.

Sprinkle little water and add salt. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes. Heat a drop of oil in tadka pan, add curry leaves. When they start sizzling, pour them into the thokku. This gives a nice aroma to thokku.

Serves: 1-2
Serve with steamed rice or Idli/Dosa.

Linking this to Hearty and Healthy event of My Culinary Trial Room.

Prawns / Shrimps 65

I read somewhere on the Internet that freezing the Chicken or Shrimps or any Non-Veg (along with marinating ingredients) gives better results when compared to refrigerating or simply keeping it aside.

I wanted to try this method with the available Shrimps today. Usually Egg is used in any 65, but I used Yoghurt alone as was not sure what would happen if egg is frozen. It came out really good and my Hus gave a new name – Shrimps Pakoda.

Ingredients:

Shrimps 400g

Corn Flour 2 tsp

Yoghurt 1 ½ tsp

Chilli Powder ½ tsp

Paprika Powder 1/8 tsp(optional)

Ginger-Garlic Paste 1tsp

Salt

Oil for deep frying

Preparation:

Clean the Shrimps. Mix all the ingredients except Oil and freeze it for minimum one hour.

Method:

Heat Oil in a Pan. When hot, drop the marinated Shrimps and one by one. Fry till done.

Serves: 1-2

Serve with Rice or a starter.

Shrimps are rich in Protein and this goes to Sobha Shyam’s Cook It Healthy: Proteincious Event and Anyone can cook Series of Taste of Pearl city.

Shrimps -- Pepper Stir Fry

This is a very quick and easy recipe. I made this within 45 minutes. My Hus had work even today (supposed to be a holiday). I was in a hurry to complete lunch as my son was forcing me now and then to spend time with him. The best part is that I made this without any prior searching, on my own way. But came out successful.

Ingredients:

Shrimps 400g
Pepper Powder 1.5 tsp or acc. to your taste
Chilli Powder 1/4 tsp
Tomato (small) 1
Onion (Medium) 1
Ginger - Garlic Paste 1 tbsp
Aniseeds 1/8 tsp
Salt
Oil

Preparation:

Clean shrimps. Dice Tomatoes and chop Onions.

Method:

Add 3/4 tsp Pepper Powder to the shrimps. Mix well and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

Heat Oil in a Pan. When hot, add Aniseeds. Allow it to crackle. Now add chopped Onions. Fry till they turn slightly brown.

Now add diced Tomatoes. Fry for a while and then add marinated shrimps, 3/4 tsp Pepper Powder, Chilli Powder and Salt. Stir well and cook till done.

Serves: 2
Serve with Rice or Chapati.

Notes: Need not add water. Shrimps get cooked with the water let out by the Tomatoes and itself. If more gravy is needed, water can be added.

Shrimps -- Stir Fry with Capsicum

Vegans, try this recipe with Cauliflower. 

I made this recipe with small Shrimps. It came out well. But my Hus said this would have been a much more mouth watering recipe if bigger Shrimps are used. I do feel the same as when small ones are fried they shrinked much.

Ingredients:

Shrimps 400g

Chopped Capsicum ¼cup

Chilli Sauce 1 tsp

Soya Sauce 2 tbsp

Tomato Sauce 3-4 tbsp

Finely chopped Ginger and Garlic 1tsp each

Salt

Oil

For the batter:

Chilli Powder  ¾ tsp

Paprika Powder ¼tsp

Corn Flour 1 ½ tsp

Maida 1 ½ tsp

Vinegar as required

Preparation:

Form a thick batter with the ingredients listed under "For the Batter" . Add Salt and shrimps. Mix well and keep it aside for 10 minutes.

Cut Capsicum into thin strips. Chop Ginger and Garlic into very fine pieces.

Method:

Deep fry the Shrimps and keep it aside in an absorbent Paper.

Heat Oil in a Pan. Add chopped Garlic and Ginger. Few seconds later when they turn slightly brown, add the Capsicum, Salt and all the Sauces.

Stir well and cook. When it is almost done, add the fried shrimps. Stir and cook for five more minutes.

Serves: 2

Serve as sidedish to Fried Rice or Biryani.

Notes: Red and Yellow Capsicum can also be used which would make the recipe much more colorful.

Simple Shrimps Gravy

Simple Shrimps Gravy—Looks like a Tongue Twister, Isn’t It?

When my Husband said he feel like eating Shrimps, I searched the Internet and bookmarked many different recipes. But he said he likes to eat a very simple one that goes well both with Rice and Chapati. I thought okay; let it be simple, as I am making it for the first time. It turned out to be really good.

When I started writing this Post, I had a doubt; If what I made today was Shrimps, then what is Prawns. I searched Wiki and found both are same except for difference in their gill structures.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Shrimps ¼ kg

Onions (Medium) 1

Tomatoes (Medium) 2

Finely Chopped Ginger and Garlic 1 ½ tsp each

Cumin and Aniseeds 1/8 tsp each

Cloves 2

Turmeric Powder ¼ tsp

Chilli Powder ¾ tsp

Coriander Powder 1 tsp

Pepper Powder ¼ tsp

Paprika Powder ¼ tsp (optional)

Water

Salt

Oil

Preparation:

Chop Onions and Tomatoes. Grind Together: Ginger, Garlic and ½ Tomato.

Method:

Heat Oil in a Pan. When hot, add Cloves. Few seconds later, add Aniseeds and Cumin. Fry till they crackle. Now add chopped Onions and fry till translucent.

Now add Ginger-Garlic-Tomato Paste and chopped Tomatoes. Fry till its raw smell goes off.

Add all the Powders and fry for some more time.

Add the shrimps now. Fry for few more minutes so that the Masala gets mixed with it. Add Salt and Water. Close the lid and cook till done. It would take 10 minutes or less on a medium to high flame.

Notes:

Shrimps need not be cooked for a long time. Paprika Powder is used to give color; it is not very hot.