Pan Asian – Fish & Seafood – Recipes for the regular homecook

Prawn Curry With Lemongrass and Coconut

I am a huge fan of light curries. Curries that are not super rich in texture, but are full of flavor and taste. This prawn curry with lemongrass and coconut is one of my absolute favorites.

The fragrance of lemongrass is known to all, and this curry is so fresh and refreshing that it will make your heart skip a beat.

I got the inspiration for this recipe when I visited Bali in 2018. I had one of the best dinners in Ubud – a lemongrass prawn curry and rice. One bite into it and I knew I was in love. Such distinct and fresh flavours, and simple style of cooking. It appealed to me immediately and I have told everyone I know about that particular prawn curry. So I noted it down and have been making it ever since at home.

The broth of this curry has been reduced after putting together a lot of delightful ingredients, and the lemongrass is the hero. The coconut gives a lot of creaminess, flavor, and texture to the gravy. The broth is silky smooth as I have strained it completely, extracting all the flavor and juices out of the ingredients. Every drop of it is heaven, along with the juicy prawns. Pure bliss and one of my personal favorites. I hope you try it and love it as much as I do.

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 3-4 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

400 g prawns, cleaned and deveined
80 g fresh lemongrass stalks, cut into chunks
2 medium onions
40 g ginger
1 dried red chili, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
Salt to taste
2 tsp pepper powder
50 g fresh coconut
1 tsp sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
400 ml hot water
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
3 tbsp vegetable oil [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Clean and devein the prawns. I have kept the tail on but you can remove it if you like. Pat the prawns dry with paper towel.
Add the prawns to a mixing bowl. Marinate with salt and 1.5 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper powder. Mix well with a spoon till every prawn is coated with the salt and pepper.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Fry the prawns in the hot oil, one minute each side. Set them aside.
Get fresh lemongrass. Look for stalks that are fragrant, tightly formed and lemony green in color in the lower stalk (near the bulb). Chop off the lower stalk as that is the most fragrant part. Chop it into chunks.
Add the lemongrass chunks, ginger, onions, soaked red chili and lemon juice. Add a little water and grind it all to form a thick paste.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Once hot, add the lemongrass paste to it. Fry this till the raw aroma of the onions and ginger completely disappear. Keep the flame at medium so that it does not burn.
Add sugar to the paste. Mix well.
Once the paste releases all its water and the raw aroma disappears completely, add 400 ml of hot water. Mix well till the gravy starts to bubble.
Now turn off the heat for a minute and strain the gravy (see video) onto a bowl. Make sure you extract every drop out of the base so that all you are left with are the shreds of the lemongrass and ginger.
Put this strained and silky smooth gravy back into the pan and let it boil.
Once the gravy starts to bubble, add the fried prawns. Give it a good mix and let it bubble away aggressively for about two minutes. Check salt and add more if required.
Do not overcook. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with boiled rice. [/directions]

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Street Style Pad Thai Noodles at Home

Pad Thai noodles is an epic dish. It is not only found in almost every street corner in Thailand, the world has opened its arms and embraced this beautiful noodle dish because of its simplicity and divine taste. I have been a big fan for years now. I whip it up in my kitchen every once in a while. Trust me, it is very easy. Just make sure you have some key ingredients and in no time you can make this recipe for yourself in the comfort of your homes!

Pad Thai Noodles has it all in terms of taste and texture. Flavors include sweetness, fiery sauces, salt and an equal amount of sourness from lime and vinegar. You can add one or more protein to your pad thai noodles, be it chicken, shrimp or tofu. Eggs are a must add in street style pad thai noodles and they make it extra yum! I have gone ahead and added more than one protein because, why not? 😀

The most important ingredient that you most probably might not have are mung bean sprouts. I usually grow them at home, it takes about 3-6 days. They are also available in the market but not so much in India. So you can either grow your own (they are super simple to grow btw) or get it from a store if you wish. I suggest a homemade version because that will be super fresh. I usually make a large batch and store it for weeks in the refrigerator.

So take note of some key ingredients and you will be good to go.

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Cook time – 15 minutes

Serves – 2

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For the sauce:

4 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp crushed palm sugar/regular sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp Sriracha sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce

For the noodles:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
20 g garlic, finely chopped
50 g tofu, cut into cubes
100 g shrimps, deveined and cleaned
2 eggs
100 g flat rice noodles
Green onions for garnish
A handful of mung bean sprouts
50 g crushed peanuts
Chili flakes for garnish
Salt to taste [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Soak the flat rice noodles in warm water for 30 minutes.
Make the pad thai sauce by mixing all the ingredients mentioned – lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, Sriracha sauce and fish sauce. Mix well and save for cooking.
Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic and onion and saute for about a minute.
Add the tofu and the shrimp to the wok, and fry for another two minutes. Cook the shrimp one minute on each side.
Shift the tofu and the shrimp to the sides of the wok, clearing out the middle. Break open to eggs into this and let it cook.
Be gentle with the egg and give it a light stir, eventually mixing it up with the rest of the ingredients in the wok.
Time to add the soaked noodles to the wok and mix well.
Pour in the pad thai sauce to this and mix it all up till every strand of the noodles gets soaked in the sauce.
Once done, add green onions, mung bean sprouts, and crushed peanut for extra crunch. Give it one last toss.
Serve on a plate with lime, bean sprouts, crushed peanut and chili flakes on the side. Serve hot! [/directions]

You will be amazed at how good this simple preparation tastes. Do try and let me know how it came out. Happy cooking!

Healthy Pan Cooked Prawns | Diet Food | Dinner Recipes | Slurrp

Like most of us, I too have struggled with maintaining a healthy diet all my life. I always thought I understand food and its nutritional aspect. I have mostly relied on what my parents have taught me and what I have seen in the kitchen in my own family and culture. But nutrition can still be a tricky concept.

Even though I have been cooking my own meals since college, I have struggled. Because it is not just about cooking, it is also about eating the right food that our body needs. In the past, whenever I have actually managed to get fit without killing myself with a weird diet, was when I have taken care of what I eat and combine it with some form of an active lifestyle. But I truly discard and loathe diets. We should eat what we have grown up eating, and never restrict our bodies of food. I am a big fan of Rujuta Diwekar and I swear by her notions around food.

There is so much information out there with so many different kinds of diets. But I feel diet food is a wrong notion, to begin with. What we need to look at our healthy recipes that can be a part of a rich and nutritious diet. A diet that is sustainable and can be made a part of our hectic lifestyle.

I now finally understand what works best for me when it comes to a sustainable diet. A good diet for me is where I am not killing myself of deprivation, but one where I am able to achieve a fine balance in regards to my understanding and consumption of diet food. A good diet is one where I am eating local, fresh and seasonal produce, I am also eating what my body is used to for decades and also enjoying the occasional spill.

Trust me guys, it is all about the mind. Once the mind is trained to form a habit, more than half the job is done.

This recipe is one of those that can come under a good diet food plan. Though I do not believe in “dieting,” I firmly believe this is a great dish for a meal not only lower in calories, but also very high in nutrition. Also I should state clearly right here that I have never counted my calories and I am alive.

This recipe is a great snack with the goodness of prawns and vegetables cooked in a spicy, tangy sauce.

It comes together in a matter of minutes, and you have to yourself and epic healthy meal. It is a perfect quick recipe for a weeknight dinner or lunch. Golden prawns tossed with vegetables in a wok, with fresh herbs and spices. Aah, life is good.

So without any further ado, let me list down what all you need for this recipe.

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Cook time – 20 minutes

Serves – 1-2

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

150 g medium prawns, deveined with tail on
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
100 g broccoli
100 g green beans
100 g button mushroom
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Freshly chopped celery for garnish
Lime juice for garnish
Sesame seeds for garnish [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add 1 tbsp butter to it. Mix.
Fry the prawns in this oil, two minutes each side. Set it aside.
In a wok, add 1 tbsp olive oil. Saute the chopped garlic and green chilies for a minute.
Add the tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes melt and a thick sauce is formed.
Add the green beans and broccoli florets. Cook this for five minutes.
Add the mushroom to this and cook for another five minutes.
Time to add the fried prawns. Mix the prawns with all the vegetables.
Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook in low flame for another three to four minutes.
Take off the heat and garnish with fresh celery, a generous dash of lime juice and sesame seeds.
Serve hot! [/directions]

I hope you try this out and like it. It can be prepared by anyone, no need to be an ace chef for this.

Let me know if you have any questions about this or any other recipe of mine. Here is another healthy dinner recipe.

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How To Make Crispy Chilli Fish at Home | Fish Recipes | Chinese Recipes | Slurrp

I love Chinese food. And I believe all of us have our own favorites and versions of this cuisine. I have been making Chinese food since I was a child. This crispy chili fish is definitely one of my top picks when it comes to fish recipes.

I am a huge fan of seafood and I just can never get enough of fish recipes. Over here, I have used a basa fish fillet.

I have been making this crispy chili fish for years now. It is one of those favorite evergreen fish recipes in my food library.That’s how good it is! If you are a lover of fish like me and you always end up spending all your money at Chinese takeaways, give this a try.

This fish recipe has so much flavor bursting in each bite. Be it the heat from the chilies, the crunch of the golden fried fish or the punch of the Chinese sauces, this is an absolute lip smacker. The ginger and garlic add a lot of extra zing to it and the bell peppers make it look colorful and drool-worthy.