Fried-Breaded Butterfly Shrimps

Ingredients: (Server 4 persons)

Large Shrimps - 12 to 16 psc

Eggs - 2 psc

Corn Flour - 2 to 3 table spoons

Panko - 1 cup

Salt, Pepper, Hot Sauce - to taste

White Oil for cooking

Preparation: (15-20 minutes)

De-Vein the shrimps and split them vertically along the vein and open them into a butterfly shape. Once can also but butterfly raw shrimps from the store! Wash them well and soak them in for 15-20 minutes in lime water/vinegar to get rid of any fishy smell.

In a shallow saucer, beat two eggs, add hot sauce and salt-pepper to it. In another shallow saucer place dry corn-flour and in the third saucer, place Panko. Dip each of the butterfly shrimps in egg, then coat with corn-flour, dip in egg again and coat with Panko.

In a shallow pan, heat oil and put the breaded shrimps for a shallow fry till they are golden brown. Serve with sauce of choice and enjoy!

Clam Chowder in Bun-Bowl

Ingredients: (Server 3 persons)

Large Sour Bun - 1 psc

Garlic - 5 to 6 cloves

Potato - 1 Large

Carrots - 2 med psc

Celery Sticks - 1 psc

Onion - 2 med psc

Clam Juice - 250 ml

Fresh/Canned Clams - 250 gms

Fresh Creme (35%) - 1/2 cup

Butter - 1/4 cup

Corn Flour - 1/4 cup

Slat and Pepper to taste

Olive Oil for cooking

Preparation: (35-45 minutes)

In a pan add Olive Oil and saute the chopped Onions. To that add finely  chopped garlic. Once the garlic and Onions turn golden, add chopped potato, chopped Celery, chopped Carrots and the Clam juice. Simmer the mix for 10 minutes - add salt and pepper.

While the veggies are simmering, in a warm pot melt the butter, to that add the corn-flour and fresh creme while stirring vigorously to ensure there are no clumps. Then add this creamy sauce to the veggie-clam juice mix after they have simmered and the veggies are tender. Mix well, then add the clams into the soup. If there is need for more soupy gravy, add milk into it. Cover the lid of the pot and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes in low heat.

Take the Sour Bun and scoop out bread from the center to make a bun-bowl out of it. Brush some butter onto it and put the bun-bowl into a preheated oven for 5 minutes at 375°F. Once the Clam-Veggie Creamy soup is done, pour it into the oven-glazed sour bun-bowl and serve hot!

Traditional Bengali 'Daab-Chingri'

Ingredients: (Server 3 persons)

Young Coconut - 1 psc

Large fresh shrimps - 12 to15 psc

Onions - 1 Large

Ginger - 10 gms

Bengal Paanch Phoran - 1 tea spoon

Salt, Turmeric, Red Chili powder to taste

Soaked Red Mustard Seed - 1/4 cup
Mustard Oil for cooking

Preparation: (35-45 minutes)

Wash the Shrimps and marinate them in Salt and Turmeric. Take the cap off the Young Coconut. Drain the Coconut water into a large pan and scrape out the white pulp from inside and keep aside. Puree the Onions and Ginger in a blender. Then paste the soaked Red Mustard seeds. Then put the white Coconut pulp along with coconut water into the blender and make a paste out of the two.

In a pan heat 3 tea spoons of Mustard Oil. Add Bengal Paanch Phoran, once it splutters - add the onion-ginger puree. Once the onion get glazed, add shrimps. Once the Shrimps get half done, add the Mustard paste, Coconut Pulp-water paste, salt and red chili powder to taste and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes - stirring time to time.

Put the Shrimp-curry mixture from the pan into the Young Coconut. Cover the lid of the coconut. Seal the lid with whole wheat dough (aataa) and place it in a pre-heated oven at 375°F for 20-25 minutes. Once done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes, before unsealing the lid of young coconut and serving the goodness from inside!