This week was very exciting for storyofcooks.com. First, Anu Saji won our yearly raffle competition and got her ‘Five Spice Chronicles’. She said she loved the recipes of the book. Second, another recipe got published in The Boston Globe. This recipe has been in our family for generations. My great-grandmom still makes it during Sankranti. I should thank two people who helped me tremendously: 1) my husband Matt who continuously helps by editing posts, taking picture and tolerating my photo madness (he also designed the storyofcooks.com logo), and 2) my mom who supplies recipes of all kinds.
This was a long weekend for both of us, so I picked up my camera and got really creative :wink:. This post is going to be a picture heavy post.
I have a food journal where I write our monthly meal plans–what to cook and eat each week. It helps me create a shopping list and prevent repeating a dish. Because of this I was able to significantly reduce my grocery bills. Whenever I make meal plans, I ask my mum what to cook. She takes out a brand new recipe every time from her pandora’s box. I just do not get how she does it!
Fish and shrimp are very important in a Bengali diet. Out of the many recipes we make, Malaikari is the most famous. Whenever I wanted to eat something light mom used to make this low-calorie shrimp curry recipe. I love everything about this dish, from the color, texture and taste. The onion, ginger, garlic, chile powder and garam masala enlightens your tongue in a perfect symphony of flavor and taste. You can eat it with flat bread or rice with onion and cucumber salad.
M has wanted to take me to the Harvard Museum of Natural History for a long time. I keep postponing the visit by making creative excuses, but this Sunday I finally agreed to go. I also bought some new props and M helped me distress a wooden board that I use for a photo backdrop. Poor guy! The things he has to do for his crazy wife! I think he will start a support group one day for the husbands of food photographers. I will link to it if he ever does 😉
Recipe for Shrimp potato curry
- 2 pounds medium shrimp, clean deveined
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 medium onion, quartered
- 1 piece (1 1/2 inches) fresh ginger
- 3 pods garlic
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 whole red chile
- 1 piece (1/2 inches) cinnamon bark
- 2 whole cloves
- 3 whole green cardamom pods, lightly smashed but whole
- 1/2 medium onion, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon chile powder
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 medium potato, cubed
- 1 teaspoon tandoori masala
1. In a bowl, combine shrimp, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, and the salt. Set it aside.
2. In a food processor, combine onion, ginger and garlic. Work the mixture until it is a paste. Transfer to a bowl.
3. In a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, heat the 2 tablespoons sunflower oil. Add a whole red chile, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until they splutter.
4. Add onion slices and cook for 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat until they are a little golden around the edges.
5. Add onion, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, chile powder and salt. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until raw smells are gone, stirring in between.
6. In a bowl, mix yogurt and water to make a fine paste.
7. Lower the temperature to the lowest setting and add yogurt-water to the pan.
8. Add shrimp pieces. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes.
9. In another non-stick pan, over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add potato cubes. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until they are golden brown on the edges.
10. Add potato cubes and tandoori masala to the curry. Cover and continue to cook over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice.
