Seafood Recipes that Make Me Droooool!

Hey Peeps!

As you've probably guessed by now, That Goan Girl loves her seafood! From grilling, to frying, to poaching, there are tons of ways to cook my favorite fish. I've recently been experimenting with "Molecular Gastronomy," the art and science behind creating the perfect food pairings. It's amazing how certain ingredients or pairings make your protein burst with flavor.

Here’s the good news! You don’t need to be a star chef to master the art. What you DO need to create sensational seafood dishes is great quality fish (no problem, if you live in Goa) and simple ingredients that you have in your kitchen. Check 'em out!

GARLIC
Anything with garlic on it is fabulous, don't you agree? Depending on your choice of fish, Sautéed Fillets with Sliced Garlic and Butter Sauce will come to your rescue. There’s something about the nutty flavor of garlic and it’s strong, spicy aroma that gives a dish a well balanced flavor.

• Season the Fillet with Salt and Pepper. Place a pan on top of the grill on medium high heat.
• When the pan is hot, add olive oil. Dredge fillet in flour and shake off the excess flour.
• Place fillets in the pan and fry for around 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
• Remove the fish fillets from the pan and deglaze the pan using 2 tbs white wine, then add butter.
• Once the butter is melted, add 4-6 thinly sliced garlic cloves and fry for about a minute until garlic turns light brown
• Add fresh herbs and remove from the heat. Carefully add juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper.
• Plate the fillet and spoon some of the lemon garlic herb butter on top. Garnish well.

COCONUT

Coconut adds a thick, creamy property to curries, so if Goan food floats your boat, try your hand at Goan Fish Curry. NO ONE makes it as good as my grandmother does!! 

• To make the masala, use 1 tsp cloves, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 8 dried Kashmiri chilies, 2 star anise, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tbs palm sugar, 1 tsp salt, 5 peeled and crushed garlic cloves, 3 cm ginger peeled and grated and 1 ½ tsp vinegar. 
• Toast the spices till aromatic and then grind in a food processor, adding the remaining ingredients
• In a large pan, heat 2 tbs oil and fry 1 finely chopped onion till golden brown. Then stir in the masala mix. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add one grated tomato. Stir until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Mix in 400 ml of coconut milk and 100 ml water, add chilies and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. 
• Add 600gms of any firm white fish (like Pollock), that is cut into 2cm chunks. Allow it to cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in another pan and add ½ tsp of mustard seeds and a few curry leaves. Once it begins to pop, add it to the curry and garnish with coriander
• Enjoy with a plateful of rice!

KOKUM

Adding kokum to your seafood lends a pinkish/purple colour and a sweet/sour taste. So when those taste buds crave something tangy, whip up a plate of Prawns Malvani

• Butterfly 1 kg deshelled prawns in a little oil and keep aside
• In a pan, heat oil and add 1 cup grated coconut,
  
  
  sautéing slowly.
• Add 5 green chilies, chopped ginger, 1 inch cassia, 1 tsp triphal, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp chilly powder, 1 tsp cumin seeds and mix well.
• Pound this masala well, adding a little water.
• In a pan, heat oil and add the coconut masala. Stir, adding water. Mix well. Add kokum extract and jaggery and the juice of half a lime
• Add the prawns and mix well. 
• Add some salt. Bring to a boil. 
• Serve hot.

LEMON GRASS

Lemon grass lends a refreshing citrus flavor and is the most sought after herb in an array of South and East Asian cuisines. Take your taste buds on a culinary tour with this Shrimp with Thai Lemongrass Marinade.

• In a food processor, combine 3 cloves of thinly sliced garlic, 3 thinly sliced chilies, 2 stalks of fresh lemongrass, 1 thinly sliced shallot and make a paste.
• Transfer the paste into a bowl and stir in ½ cup fish sauce(or soy sauce), ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 2 tsp ground coriander and ½ tsp pepper.
• Coat shrimp with 2/3 cup of the marinade. 
• Thread the shrimp on a skewer and grill for 15 mins. Use remaining paste for basting.

There are so many great ingredients that pair perfectly with seafood. I'd love to hear (and try) out your favorites. Let me know what they are @Thandi_Baat or simply comment below.

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