Spicy Creamy Parmesan Shrimp

Ingredients 

21-22 medium size shrimps

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp chilli garlic sauce

1 tbsp hoisin garlic sauce

1/2 tbsp minced garlic

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 tbsp roasted garlic parmesan sauce

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp fish seafood seasoning

For marinade 

2 tsp soya sauce

Salt 

1/2 tbsp white oil

Method

1) Toss the shrimps in the ingredients for marinade and then shallow fry them on medium high till they turn golden in color. Take them out on to a plate and keep aside.

2) Heat butter in a nonstick skillet. When butter melts, add minced garlic and stir fry for a minute and add chilli garlic sauce, hoisin sauce, coriander powder and cayenne powder. Mix in and cook stirring continuously for 2 minutes.

3) Add the shrimps into the mixture. 

4) Add roasted garlic Parmesan sauce and whipping cream. Cook stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Add fish seafood seasoning and give a good mix. 

5) Turn the heat off and serve hot with fried rice or steamed rice or pasta. 

Shim er Dana Diye Chingri - Prawn Curry with Hyacinth Seeds

How would you feel if you are away at your work and upon returning home find out that your home is not there anymore, but completely bulldozed by some goons into rubble with your valuables stolen by people? This is what I see have happened to a couple in India and it is utterly shocking. What more when the distressed couple went to file a complaint to police, the police refused to lodge a case. I wonder at times where are we heading? It is when we find ourselves in problem like this we begin to understand how the entire system is seeped in corruption. I myself have pretty bad experience while getting our passports done. The officials whose responsibility was to verify files and addresses of the applicants simply won’t do their job or delay the process intentionally unless you grease their palms. It is so pathetic. Anyone having gone through the process would acknowledge my pain.

 

Hyacinth seeds that we call shim er dana in Bengali have been a rarity here. I have been looking for hyacinth beans for over a year but to no avail. So I thought if the hyacinth beans are such a rare sight, hyacinth seeds would be a complete nonentity here but I proving me wrong I found one Bangladeshi grocery store selling hyacinth seeds and not only that my favourite pui shaak was also there. For me that finding had been similar to the experience of discovering a treasure trove. Just Amazing!

Chingri Bharta -Shrimp Mash-up

 

Everyone out here is making use of the opportunity of the 4th of July holiday to travel somewhere except us. My hubby is stuck in this weird project which keeps Go-live during the summer time only when you want to travel places and hence he doesn't have any holiday tomorrow and in the next few weeks. It is extremely frustrating really.

 

 

Last week I was really busy between my course work and freelance projects with hardly any time left for cooking and so I cooked this easy Chingri Bharta or Shrimp Mash Up that gets ready within 15 minutes sharp and the taste is just supremely divine. Hope you people will like it.

 

Prawn Tawa Masala

My hubby had been pestering me to watch the recent Russell Crowe flick "Broken City" in the evening show over last three four days, which I was putting off to save myself from going out in the freezing cold. Yesterday was the coldest day of the season in Ohio, temperature dropping down to -15C. Burrowed under the quilt since morning, I barely got out of the bed unless absolutely necessary until my hubby came home from office grinning from ear to ear, betraying a hint of conspiracy and flashed me the tickets for the evening show. I was furious, giving my big thumbs down to the idea of stepping out of the cozy cocoon of our home into the blistering cold for the sake of anything; furious because he chose the coldest day of the season to force me out of home for watching a movie. Now he really knows how to win me over for something I am unwilling to do. He wears the saddest look possible with eyes pleading of wistful longing and I guarantee he can even get away with murder with that look. Once again caught in the web of his sorrowful pleading eyes I relented and pronto, we went for the movie. He was happy.

 

 

The movie was really nice, as usual keeping in with his trademark charisma Russell Crowe essayed his role brilliantly and I was mesmerized to see him, even in a negative character. Some men may grow old, but the sparkle and magnetism in their personalities continue to disarm people with an unfading effect. Russell Crowe is one of them.

Prawn Tawa Masala is another awesome prawn preparation ideal to be had with fried rice or pulao. Medium spicy, the tanginess lent by lemon juice and a nutty flavor attributed by the addition of spring onions transform the dish into a meal worth craving. Hope you guys will enjoy!!

 

Mulo Chingri - Radish with Prawns

 

In the wake of the recent horrific incident in Delhi, some womenfolk have suddenly been stirred

 out of their impassivity into sudden sympathetic mode on the ordeal of their less fortunate sisters.
 
Please don't misunderstand me, I am not being sarcastic and I am not generalizing women with my

remark. But my observations and experiences in life have shown me that women themselves don't

empathize with other women. Most of the time I have seen women, in group, either criticizing

harshly the one woman who has taken a bold step in voicing protest against something wrong or

playing the role of mute spectators, in a manner of complete indifference to something not

concerning them,  to the suffering of other women. For instance, take the rape case of Park Street in

Kolkata. Who labeled the lady in distress as prostitute? A woman chief minister, who being a

woman herself, can be expected to exhibit a minimum amount of compassion was the first person

to put the victim's character under scrutiny. Just because the victim, a mother of two, didn't act by

the rules demarcated by the society doesn't make her a prostitute. When the power holders of our

country try to lessen the gravity of a crime by publicly calling the victim a prostitute, it sends the

message loud and clear that rape on a prostitute is admissible and not liable to punishment. What is

the definition of a prostitute? According to the dictionary meaning, a prostitute is a woman who

sleeps with men in exchange of money, but in practical life the word is slapped on any woman not

following the set of conventions drawn by the patriarchal society. 'Prostitute', a word of humiliation,

is used as a very strong abusive word to denigrate woman. (To read the article fully, please visit the

link  highlighted.)

My bonding with mulo is getting stronger by the day with the discovery of such a variety of mulo

recipes. This one I collected from a friend on Facebook. She happened to visit my blog and was all
 
praise, so taking a chance of the moment I asked her to share a favourite recipe of her especially

something related to mulo, as I had a huge mulo at home awaiting to be slaughtered. She relayed

the recipe of this one which she claimed is quite regular in her maiden home. Nice!!!!

Mangalorean Prawn Curry

The whole neighborhood where we stay in Ohio is illuminated and decorated beautifully for

Christmas. It looks so amazing at night when rows of trees are lit up in different shades of color

adding a warm glow to the cold wintry nights. Though the desire to get myself clicked with the

luminous Christmas tree in the background engulfs me at times but the weather outside is so

freezing at night that the moment I step out, I feel like going back inside the warmth of our car.

Although I loved winter of Kolkata and Bangalore but the winter of Ohio is dreadful, seriously.

With every passing day winter is ensconcing comfortably making my movement outside home an

 affair of putting on a few layers of clothing to keep warm.

Tonight we went to watch "Hobbit" in a nearby theatre. While coming back from the theatre into

the parking yard where our car was parked walking half kilometer in the open made me chilled to

 the bone, the freezing climate sending shiver through every inch of my body. I thought the winter

coat would be sufficient enough to keep me insulated, but that I should have bundled myself in few

more layers of clothing I realized as my hands turned numb from cold. When the good old summer

months will be back God knows.

 

 

Badhakopi Chingri - Cabbage Prawns

 

I was having a discussion with my friend which kind of led to an argument later on regarding the role social media is playing in terms of changing people's social lives. While I was talking in favour of the Social Medias, my friend has other thoughts to share. It's true all the points she emphasized on are valid considering how after social media came into being, we instead of calling up friends to wish on their b'days get the job done wishing them online and how the custom of sending greeting cards to wish someone on b'day or marriage is slowly going out of practice. My friend was specially sounding concerned about the next generation children growing up under the predominating influence of social networking sites, Facebook, Twitter and the like, their social life being limited to interacting with friends online rather than going out with them and having some real fun. Though there are a lot of things going in favour of Social Medias, however, there is no denying the fact it has some side effects that are gradually changing our social lives, especially this is true for people addicted to social networking.

Just as anything good is not without drawbacks, Social Medias too are not without theirs. For me, it helps me keep in touch with friends, classmates that I would have eventually lost touch with had Facebook not been there. Anyway, this could be a never ending conversation as the topic is open to various opinions, everything being viewed in different light by every one of us. So I would rather focus on the recipe of the day - Badhakopi Chingri or Cabbage Prawns. If you have enjoyed Cabbage Curry with Rohu Fish Head, I am sure this one too is going to win your heart. A perfect treat to be had with rice or roti, I love prawns cooked with cabbage, completely fascination combination.

 

 

Bhapa Chingri - Steamed Prawn Curry

Steaming is an ancient and healthy technique in practice from time immemorial to cook food. The

 benefit of steaming results not only in lowering fat content, but also helps retain the effective

 functional nutrients that usually go flushed out of the food when cooked on high heat or boiled.

The benefit of nutrient preservation makes steaming a popular cooking method amongst health

 conscious people. Steaming is done through a number of ways, using pressure cooker, a steamer or

 simply by placing a closed tiffin box inside a larger container with little amount of water around to

 create steam covered with a lid. Whatever means you choose for steaming rest assured that the

 turnout would be a healthy treat, yet tasty one, giving competition to your regular meals.

Steaming is popular in Bengali cooking. A selection of traditional authentic Bengali dishes including

the sought-after and lip-smacking Bhapa Elish, Dab Chingri are adored and savoured delightfully

 by Bengalis and Non-Bengalis alike all over the world.

Egg Prawn Mini Omelettes

This is an interesting Egg Prawn Mini Omelette recipe I picked up from a Bengali magazine. Undoubtedly, it is one of my favourite omelettes now. I like these omelettes especially in breakfast served with a toast. When guests are invited, I keep the egg-prawn mixture ready in advance so while the guests ensconce themselves comfortably at our home, I quickly prepare the omelettes and serve with tea. I just love the bewildered expression on their faces after they discover prawns in the omelettes.

Prawn Kofta Curry

My husband has been telling me since the time I arrived at US to go for a driving test. Before I sit behind the steering wheels, I need to obtain a learners' license requiring me to pass a written test. While in Bangalore, I once made a massive damage to our car only by driving it at 10 km/hr speed. The bonnet of the car came off and the chassis bent out of shape by the impact after I rammed the car straight into a divider. It was a dreadful incident that psychologically planted a seed of fear in my mind towards driving. Especially in a country where normally cars run at high speed, I am scared how I would cope. Without knowing how to drive in US is synonymous with the feeling of being handicapped. I am a kind of person who doesn't like depending on people for anything and unless I learn driving, I will never overcome my dependency.

One worthy advice shared by a friend is never to learn driving with husband sitting by your side. Tendencies of husbands bombarding wives who are learning to drive with nonstop dos and don'ts leave them keyed up with unnecessary worries. To an extent, it is true because when I made the accident in Bangalore, my hubby was sitting beside me and he yelled at me to bring the car to a stop as I was heading towards a divider. His holler pressed a panic button in me and I froze forgetting to leash the brake. The car bulldozed into the divider damaging it badly.

Whenever I point the finger of blame at him for that accident I made in Bangalore, he keeps saying that I always lay the blame on him for everything bad happening around me. But I feel that if he had not shouted freaking the hell out of me, I would have steadily brought the car to a stop in good time. Many a time while cooking when he helps me with cutting the vegetables, he contributes his suggestions about what ingredients to add or give a miss etc and whenever I have paid an iota of heed to his advice, my cooked meal has turned out to be either bland or something very miserable in taste. Still, he never refrains from offering suggestions with an aplomb that would make a seasoned chef doubt himself.

I know just as I have learnt after repeated incidents of miserable meals that my hubby is not the best person I should listen to in terms of cooking, similarly he is not the best person to accompany me on practice drives.

Prawns with Kasuri Methi

Last few days were the most scorching summer days here in this season with the temperature soaring higher than 100F. The gymnasium that I visit every day in our locality is facing west direction and hence, in the evening, it turns into a furnace heated by the direct penetration of sunlight. Yesterday just 10 minutes on the treadmill and epillectical cross trainer left me soaked in sweat from top to bottom robbing me of the desire to continue any longer. Nonetheless, ignoring all the jumble feelings about discomfort going around in my head, I persisted my ordeal for exact one and half hour at a stretch with a goal set in my mind to get the lost shape back. Gaining weight is so easy; I wish the reverse would have been easier too. But it seems there is no fast-track route available other than putting your body through a daily grind of work outs simultaneously following a healthy diet.

However, I am not in for crash diet. I had tried doing it umpteen times but halfway through I gave up every time. This time I have been following a diet that I would be able to adhere to till I succeed in my mission. Already it is showing results and I am not anywhere near to the verge of drifting away from my goal.

I always take heavy lunch in the afternoon up to the satisfaction of my tummy whether or not I am dieting. This prawn curry made a sumptuous meal for us and we had it with rice.

Malabari Prawn Curry

Malabar, a southern coastline nestled between Arabian Sea and Western Ghats, is lined with a string of coconut trees. Hence, the flavour of coconut predominates over the Malabar cuisines. Originally, any authentic Malabari dish is cooked with coconut oil. I have learned this recipe of Malabari Prawn curry from a cookery show hosted by Aditya Bal. Bal hewed to the authenticity of Malabar cuisine by cooking it in coconut oil. You may do the same if you like. But since I don't like the over pervasive smell of coconut oil, I have replicated the dish using white oil.

Posto Diye Chingri Malaikari - Prawn Malai Curry with Poppy Paste

This is another variation of Prawn Malai Curry I recently had at one of my friends' house. If you have tried and enjoyed Prawn Malai Curry, you must check out this variation with poppy paste. It is equally delightful and savory.

Doi Chingri - Prawns in Yogurt Sauce

Yesterday we watched a beautiful movie "Cinema Paradiso" which bagged an oscar in the foreign film category in 1989. The story was so magnificently depicted in the film that it touched the chord of my heart especially with the scene featuring the protagonist returning to his homeland after three decades and getting into a spell of reminiscences at the very first sight of his childhood abode.

Similar nostalgia grips my mind when I go to Kolkata and visit the places bearing witness to some precious years of my childhood and girlhood days. Nothing about the places seems to have changed much except the characters hovering there and the horizon fast disappearing behind the line of mushrooming buildings. As a child domineered by the elders at home, I used to often dream of growing up when I would be able to enjoy freedom. I believe every age has some pros and cons. Childhood life is fun but it is limited to restrictions set by elders in addition to the stress of studies. Grown-ups enjoy freedom, but their strength is tested by a variety of challenges thrown at every junction of their life in addition to the pain of losing the ones, close to heart, to God. Any day, childhood days are better than the ones set on to the grown-ups.

The following recipe is a healthy concoction of prawns in yogurt. Anyone looking for a dish with minimal spices and low calories can be had this dish. Besides being healthy, it is a tasty treat. Me and my hubby just loved it on our Sunday lunch with hot steaming rice.

Stir Fried Prawns in Chilli Garlic Soy Sauce

It's been days I have not eaten Chinese. On my birthday this year we ordered a takeaway from a popular Chinese chain here. We soon rued our decision at the first mouthful. The gravy in the chicken curry was plain syrup. In a manner of speaking, it was 'disgusting.' I didn't wish to have a birthday dinner end up in discarding foods, so painfully I nibbled all that was on my plate. My hubby doesn't make much hue and cry over taste as being grown up in hostel has accustomed him to anything tasting bland or repulsive. So it's out of his nature to turn up nose at any food. But he too carefully avoided the gravy plucking only the meatballs afloat in the syrup and got done and dusted with his meal.

 

Talking about Chinese cuisine, the Chinese food that is available in India conform to the Indian taste bud. So they appeal to our palate. But the ones available here are cooked in accordance with the taste bud of the people living here. So it's little different in taste. I guess the Chinese food that we are used to eating in India is different in taste in China too. So you see you cannot ignore the cross-cultural influence.

 

Anyway, enough lecture on Chinese food. It's time to share one amazing stir fried prawn recipe that I cooked in the fashion of Chinese cuisine. Hope you all will like it. Happy feasting!

Dal Methi Chingri

Last weekend we went to a Tulip Festival held three hours driving distance from Perrysburg. My husband took some nice shots of the amazing tulips caught in their splendour all across Holland. As you go driving by, different colored tulips in full bloom popping in and out of sight simply takes your breath away. I cannot help my urge to share a collage of the same. Here you go:

 

Another awesome recipe for you guys on green gram or what my mother termed as 'tadka dal'. So we have three recipes now - Egg Tadka Dal, Chicken Tadka Dal and now the third one 'Dal Methi Chingri'. Try it out at home and let me know if it earns you brownie points.

Lal Shak Diye Chingri - Prawns with Red Amaranth Leaves

This is an exotic recipe of prawns cooked with lal shak or red amaranth leaves. After an extensive search made throughout Ohio, we finally have traced a market that not only sells fishes but also the greens and vegetables not easily available in US.

Red shak or red amaranth leaves are potent source of vitamins and minerals. It is also very low in cholesterol and saturated fat. The mushy eggplants combined with red amaranth leaves with a fine addition of prawns make it a compact package of nutrition which simultaneously pleases your taste bud. One of the many health benefits of eating prawns is it is a powerful source of selenium which is believed to impede the growth of malignant cancer cells.

Also, the fact that prawns are low in calories as opposed to meat and beefs makes it a popular and tastier option for many over other food choices.

Masoor Chingrir Dum : Red Lentil with Prawns

Red lentil in Bengali is called 'masoor dal' and 'chingri' means prawns. Dum means slow-cooking or cooking something covered on low or medium heat so that the ingredients get cooked in the steam built inside. This account explains the name "Masoor Chingrir Dum" for people not familiar with Bengali language. Also, it sets an undertone for the dish going to be detailed and discussed below.

As the name implicates, masoor is given 'dum' through slow-cooking with prawns laid side by side. The spices incorporated in uniform measure give birth to an innovative dal concoction. The aroma of whole spices and the final taste booster called 'ghee' makes it a heavenly experience for those privileged to consume it.

I have adapted the recipe from a cookery program. But as I said 'adapted', the original dish was cooked with a hint of sweetness with sugar and raisins. I parted with the raisins part and adapted it according to what my family would like and 'loved' they indeed as my husband has given his verdict with 'it is one of the best dishes' I cooked out of the 170 something recipes posted in my blog.

Masala Prawns

The Easter week went amazingly with a trip down to a place well-known for its picturesque natural beauty - Mackinac Island. Located in Huron Lake, the island has a quaint appeal that soothes your mind. Living in an island like this amidst a breathtaking backdrop surely is a lot of fun. I was green with envy for those who have their houses and mansions there and live a life so close to nature, away from all the cacophony and humdrum of city life.

I don't have adequate words to describe the iconic beauty the island is blessed with. It's something that has to be seen and felt inside your heart. I wish I could post the snaps, my hubby has captured painstakingly, here but since I want my cooking blog to remain focused on cooking with pictures of home cooked food only, I will share the link once I update my other blog - Travelogue with a write-up on Mackinac Island.

Back to what my post is all about - Masala Prawns is a preparation my mother often makes at home. It is one of the most tasty prawn curries that I savor to the utmost delight and satisfaction of my tummy. It tastes best when cooked by my mother, however, in her absence I make do with what I end up cooking.

Phulkopi Chingri - Cauliflower Prawns

A group of friends were invited over dinner in our place, few days back. I cooked phulkopi chingri and murg himachali for the guests who, I heard, adore spicy dishes. Usually, I am unsparing when it comes to the use of oil and ghee in our regular meals. But when you invite people to your home, you ought to keep in mind their taste buds. On such rare occasions, I let go of my skimpiness with oil, esp. ghee. However, I am sure if my mother ever tastes the chicken dishes cooked by me, she might find them too dull and bland for at home in Kolkata, my mom cooks some awesome spicy chicken curries with a layer of ghee floating on the surface and taste wise, they are heavenly. But I often get into a sort of skirmish with my mother over her use of ghee in chicken dishes which I find excessive and she, a key ingredient to taste. 

Thankfully, these days taking my words in consideration, she uses less ghee when she cooks for me on my homecoming.