Shrimp Masala Rice (Easy Shrimp Biriyani)

 Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 2 cup
Shrimp- 500 gm (1lb)
Onion- 2 medium,chopped
Tomato - 1 big,chopped
Garlic- 1 tbsp chopped
Ginger -1 tbsp chopped
Green chillies- 3-4
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 3/4 tsp
Mint leaves(pudina)- 1/2+1/2 cup chopped
Coriander leaves (Cilantro) - 1/2 +1/2 cup chopped
Cashew nut- 1/4 cup (optional)
Raisins- 1/4 cup (optional)
Water -  1 cup
Oil
Directions 
1. Cook basmati rice with enough water and salt.Keep aside
2. Heat oil in a big and deep pan,add and saute chopped onion, garlic,ginger and green chillies.When it is soft add chilly powder,turmeric powder, and coriander powder and saute until the raw smell goes.
3. Add chopped tomato and when it is soft add Garam masala and mix well.
4. Add half of chopped mint and cilantro leaves.
4. Add cleaned shrimp/prawns and mix well .Pour water and adjust salt.Close with a lid and cook. It will take 3-5 minutes
5. When the shrimp is done and water is almost evaporated, add cooked rice and mix well.
6.When it is completely dried add the remaining leaves and remove from heat.
Serve hot with Raita, Pickle and Papad!!!
Note : Adjust the quantity of chilly powder/green chilly and leaves(mint and cilantro)according to your taste

Recipe Courtesy : Dr.Lakshmi Nair -Magic Oven

Konchu Thoran / Shrimp Stir fry

Ingredients
Konchu/Chemmeen/Shrimp/Prawns - 1 cup cleaned and washed 
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 3-4
Shallots chopped - 3/4 cup -no need to cut thin
Ginger crushed -1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1tbsp
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 2-3
Curry leaves - 1 string
Mustard -1/2 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp


Method
1. Crush grated coconut with 2 green chillies , chilly powder, turmeric powder .Do not make it into a smooth paste 
2.Heat Coconut oil in a Manchatti/Meenchatti/deep pan /cheena chatti and Splutter mustard seeds ,add the red chillies and curry leaves .
3.Add crushed ginger and 1 or 2 green chillies (split lengthwise) and saute for 1 minute
4.Add chopped shallots and saute until it becomes soft 
5.Now add cleaned Konchu/Chemmeen/Shrimp/Prawns  and saute for 1 minute
6.Add crushed coconut and mix well . 
7.Add water and salt ,mix well
8.Close with a lid and cook for 5 minutes 
9.Remove the lid and stir until it becomes dry -Do not over dry .Semi dry is the right consistency
10.Garnish with Curry leaves and serve hot


Note :
1. If you want ,you can put a cleaned and soaked kudampuli to the konchu-coconut mix before cooking
2.Try to use coconut oil ,it adds taste and beautiful flavor
3. Manchatti/Meenchatti is the best vessel to prepare this . 


Recipe Courtesy : Lakshmi Nair, Magic Oven 

Shrimp/Prawns Fry

Ingredients 
King Prawns - 10-12nos
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder -1 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder -1/4 tsp
Fenugreek/Methi powder- 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
Corn flour- 1tsp
Salt
Curryleaves
Oil


Method
1.Peel and clean the prawns
2. Mix all the powders flour and salt together and make a paste with 1-2 tbsp of water
3.Marinate the cleaned prawns in the spice mix for 1-2 hrs.Keep in refrigerator
4.Heat oil in a deep pan and deep fry the prawns .
5.Just before removing fried prawns from the pan, add curry leaves to the oil and fry for a few seconds. A sweet aroma will come when the prawns are done.
6.Drain the prawns in a paper towel and  enjoy the yummy fried prawns with rice or chapati .

Chemmeen Muringakka Curry /Shrimp Drumstick curry

Ingredients
Shrimp - 10 , cleaned
Drumstick- 1 cut into 3-4 pieces of 5cm length
Onion - 1/2 sliced   
Tomato - 1/ 2 diced
Kudampuli/Kokum - 1 piece soaked in water for 15 min
Salt as required
For Grinding
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Fennel- 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
Shallots - 1 or 2
Green chillies- 2
Tempering
Oil - 1tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Shallots - 2 sliced round
Red chillies- 2-3
Curry leaves - 1sprig
Method 
1. Cook the Shrimp, drumstick , onion, tomato kudampuli and salt in a pan with half cup of water for 5-8 minutes.
2. Grind the ingredients under For Grinding  together to a smooth paste 
3. Add this paste to the cooked shrimp and close the pan with a lid and cook for another 5 minutes and turn off heat 
4. Heat oil in another pan and splutter mustard seeds, add red chillies , sliced shallots and curry leaves  When shallots turn golden yellow color , pour this into the cooked curry 
Serve hot with rice 

Konchu/Chemmeen/Prawns/Shrimp Theeyal

Ingredients 
Prawns - 1 cup ,cleaned and washed
Onion - 1 ,thinly sliced
Green chilly- 2 ,split lengthwise
Cashew nuts -5-6
Kudampuli-1 ,Clean and keep in 1/4 cup water for 15 min
Tempering
Curry leaves -4-5 leaves
Red chillies -2
Mustard -1/2 tsp
Oil -1tbsp
Fried/Dry Roasted-coconut (Thenga varuthu arakkan )
Grated coconut - 2 cup (one coconut)
Chlli powder - 2 tbsp
Coriander powder 1 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Heat a pan and dry roast the grated coconut until they turn almost dry. Now add the chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and stir continuously till the coconut turn reddish brown .Now remove the pan from heat allow to cool .You can keep this in air -tight box in refrigerator for more than one month .

Grinding
Grind the fried coconut to a fine paste when it is cool .
Grind in a mixer bowl without adding water .When the fried coconut is ground to fine powder add 1/2 cup water and grind again .It will turn into a smooth semi fluid state
Method
1.Heat oil in a deep pan and splutter mustard seeds and add red chillies and curryleaves
2.Add sliced onion , green chillies and cashew nuts and saute until onion become soft
3.Now add the cleaned prawns and saute for a 1 minute
4.Add the Kudampuli along with the water
5.Add salt and stir well
6.When it starts to boil add the ground coconut and mix well
7.Cover with the lid and cook for 5 minutes
Switch off the stove and serve hot .If you are serving it later ,take the Kudampuli out and keep.

Note : You can add tomato and drumstick if you want .Even without those, theeyal tastes yummy !!!