Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the shrimp is additive-free and use spices that have no colour or anti-caking agents. Use butter that contains only cream.

Marinate shrimp in salt and turmeric

Toast spices and sauté onion

Add half of cilantro-chile paste

Add water, butter, mint and then rice

Sauté other half of the paste

Then sauté the shrimp in the paste

Top baked rice with shrimp

Ingredients:

2 cups (500 ml) basmati rice

1 pound (500 g) shrimp, shelled and de-veined

1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground turmeric

¼ bunch cilantro

2 Serrano chilies

1 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger

4 large cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons (60 ml) oil

1 large yellow onion

1 teaspoon (5 ml) whole black peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick, 1-½ inches (3.8 cm)

¼ stick of butter

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) whole cloves

10 – 12 whole green cardamom pods

2 bay leaves

3 cups (750 ml) water

2 sprigs mint

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Wash the rice and soak it in cold water until needed.

Wash the shrimp and drain it well. Add the salt and turmeric and mix. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Peel the ginger and garlic and use a food processor to blend it to a paste with the cilantro and chilies. You can use a little water if it is too dry.

Chop the onion and mint and leave to the side until needed.

Heat the oil on medium in an oven safe dish. Add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and 1 bay leaf. Sauté until fragrant, approximately 2-3 minutes.

Add the chopped onion and sauté until light brown, stirring constantly.

Add half of the paste and sauté for another minute or two.

Add water and salt to taste and bring to this to a boil.

Drain the rice and add it to the boiling water and add the butter and mint. Bring this to a boil, cover and place it in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

When the rice has been in the oven for about 10 minutes heat some oil in a sauté pan and add the remainder of the paste along with the other bay leaf. Sauté this for a minute or two and add the shrimp. Sauté the shrimp until done (they should be light pink) about 5 minutes.

Remove the rice from the oven. Top it with the shrimp and serve. Serves 6.

From Food52