eCurry - The Recipe Blog

Toasted Sesame & Shrimp Fried Rice

This is one of those tasty recipes which can be created in jiffy when you are in a time crunch, yet you crave for something to fulfil your taste buds and hunger. The toasted sesame gives a subtle nutty flavor and you can add any vegetable you want.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked rice (I use Sona Masoori white rice)
½ pound medium raw shrimp – deveined and shelled
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons of Tangy Hot Oil(If this is not handy, just use regular oil mixed with a teaspoon of any hot sauce)
½ medium sized Onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped and mashed
4 stalks of Celery chopped
½ cup Peas
½ cup chopped Carrots
3 Sprigs of Spring Onion (some cut in angles and some chopped fine)
Salt
2 teaspoons Vinegar
2 tablespoons Oil
1 tablespoon Oil
1.5 tablespoons of Sesame Seeds

Preparation:

Toast the sesame seeds on a skillet till they are light brown but not burnt. Set aside.

Coat Shrimp with lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and let it marinate for about 10 minutes. Heat the Hot Oil in the pan, and sauté the shrimps till they are pink and curled up. Set aside.

Wash the rice thoroughly to drain away the extra starch, cook it in 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon Oil. When all the water evaporates from the top, lower the heat to minimum and cover it for about 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and let it stay covered for another few minutes. The rice at this stage should be separate and long and not sticky and mushy. (Alternatively use a Rice Cooker and follow Instructions).

Spread out the rice in a plate, sprinkle Vinegar on it, toss and let it sit for about 15 minutes. In the mean time heat oil and add the garlic and onions. Stir them in oil for a minute and add the carrots, celeries and peas. Fry at high heat till all the water disappears. Add salt and the rice, stir gently and cook for a few more minutes. Switch off the heat and add the Spring onions, the Shrimps and the toasted Sesame seeds. Toss and Cover for 10 more minutes.

Serve Hot.

Chingri  Maacher Malaikari is an old Bengali Classics. I have grown up in this East Indian State (West Bengal), having to eat (and loving every bite and moment of it) this simply marvelous dish in every special occasions, be it be a birthday, or a houseful evening guests. My dad would have to go to the Sunderbans for work, and we all waited till late night knowing that he would get the fresh jumbo prawns/shrimps and next day would be the grandiose Chingri  maacher malaikari.

This is cooked with coconut milk, which is very easily available here in cans making the process much more easy and faster.

Here I am sharing with you the way my mom always cooked chingri maacher malaikari.

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb uncooked deveined Prawn/Shrimp
2. 1.5 tablespoons of ginger paste
3. 2 Small Green Cardamoms
4. 2” stick of Cinnamon
5. 2 Bay Leaves
6. 3/4 can Coconut milk
7. Salt to taste
8. ½ teaspoon of sugar
9. 1 teaspoon of turmeric
10. 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
11. 2 slit Hot Green Peppers.
12. 2 tablespoons Ghee (Clarified Butter)
13. 1 teaspoon oil
14. 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut(optional)
15. 1/2 teaspoon Jeera/Cumin seeds

Preparation:

Shell the Shrimps and baste with   ¾ spoon of turmeric, little bit of salt and  half the amount of red chili powder. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.

Heat about the oil and lightly sauté the shrimps till they are almost done.

Heat the Ghee.  Add the cracked cardamoms, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Once they start sizzling, add Cumin, the green hot peppers and the ginger paste.

Fry for sometimes till the ghee leaves the sides of the pan. Be careful and see that the paste does not burn and turn dark brown.

Add the sautéed Shrimps, sugar, salt, and the rest of the chili powder and turmeric and the coconut milk & the shredded coconut. Boil this till the coconut milk start getting creamy. You will see little bubbles coming up.

Gently stir for some more time and when the gravy coats the spoon you will know that its done.

Serve with white basmati rice.