Unakka Chemmeen Roast | Unakka Chemmeen Fry | Kerala Style Dried Shrimp Roast | Dry Prawns Fry | Dried Prawns Stir fry

Unakka Chemmeen Ularthiyathu | Unakka Chemmeen Mulakittathu

I'm back with another delicacy with dried shrimps :) See that's what I do when I get hold of something exotic to us.. GO overboard ;) But this is also something that you all would love and enjoy. It's a roast or fry with the unakka chemmeen or dried shrimps (prawns).. You know what Deeps asked when I served this dish. "Deep fried???"  I was like, "No, shallow with 2 tbsp oil ;) That's the magic here.. Looks and feels like a deep fry, but have used minimal oil here. And I paired this with some spinach dal and cabbage poriyal.. Oh my, it tasted just awesome with the dal ! You can have it with kanji (rice gruel) as well and I'm sure you wouldn't need another side dish :) or just dal or mild gravy. This is so easy to make and will take your simple meal to another level. And spice and shallots, feel free to increase or decrease according to your needs..So let's see how easily this is made :)

Other recipes with Dried Shrimps:

Unakka Chemmeen Chammanthi Podi | Dried Shrimp Chutney powder
Unakka Chemmeen Curry | Dried Shrimp Curry
Unakka Chemmeen Maanga Curry | Kerala Style Dried Shrimp Raw Mango Curry

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Serves : 2 persons

I Used:

Dried Shrimp	-	1 cup
Shallots	-	10-12 nos
Red Chilly	-	2-3 nos
Coconut Oil	-	2 tbsp
Curry leaves	-	2 sprigs
Red Chilly powder Turmeric powder	- -	2 tsp ¼ tsp
Salt	-	As Needed

The Way:

1. Peel the shallots and rinse them well in water. Take the shallots and red chillies in a mixer jar and coarsely pulse them 2-3 times. Do not have to grind them to a smooth paste

2. Rinse and wash the shrimp thoroughly 3-4 times to remove any dirt or dust particles in them. They tend to absorb water, so be quick to rinse. Once done, drain them and keep aside

3. Heat coconut oil in a pan/kadai. Splutter the curry leaves

4. Now add the coarsely pulsed shallot-red chilly mix. Saute them for about 3-4 minutes in medium flame

5. Then add the rinsed dried shrimps and give a quick mix. Keep sauteeing for another 4-5 minutes till they start to become dry

6. Now add the turmeric powder, red chilly powder and salt (Dried fish will already have salt in them, so add cautiously) and give a nice stir

7. Reduce the flame to low and keep stirring occasionally to avoid the shrimps getting burnt. If you feel they need a little more oil, add a tsp or two and mix. Check for salt and hotness and add salt and red chilly powder if needed. They should turn golden and dry (no moisture content). this would take around 15-20 minutes

When done, serve with hot rice and a gravy of choice or kanji(rice gruel)!

Notes:

• I have used 2 tsp red chilly powder here which is fairly hot and suited for our taste buds. You can very well increase or decrease the quantity according to the needs of your family
• If you want you can increase the amount of shallots for more masala
• Dry shrimps comes with added salt. Hence add salt accordingly
• If your shrimps are larger and you want to remove the head and tail then you can do the same after rinsing them

Cheers,

Chitz

Kerala Style Kanava Roast | Nadan Koonthal Roast | Kerala Style Spicy Squid Roast | Koonthal Ularthiyathu | Calamari Roast

How many of you are fans of this squid or calamari? Most of the hard core non-vegetarians especially from Kerala would love them, especially this Kerala special roast preparation made from it. I'm sorry as some of the vegetarians would find this dish especially the slimy looking fish a bit eerie! There is also a fry preparation made of this which tastes equally yummy :) Even thinking and writing about it evokes so much of childhood memories for me.. Actually during my school days there was a chapter in the Malayalam subject called 'Kadalile Mashikuppi' (meaning the ink bottle in the sea) about this Kanava.. that is what I remember every time I see this fish in the market :) Anyone else remembers that chapter?? So coming to the recipe, this is an easy and yummy preparation which requires only the usual ingredients from the pantry.. And you can make a lip smacking dish that sure will bring you laurels :) 

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 50 minutes

Serves : 4 persons 

I Used:

For Marination:

Squid/Kanava/Calamari/Koonthal	-	½ kg
Fish Fry masala (optional)	-	2 tbsp
Red Chilly powder	-	1 tsp
Turmeric powder	-	¼ tsp
Pepper powder	-	½ tsp
Salt	-	As Needed
Water	-	less than a ¼ cup

For Masala:

Coconut Oil Cumin seeds/Jeerakam	- -	2-3 tbsp ½ tsp
Shallots/Small Onions	-	20 nos (sliced)
Tomato	-	½ of a medium sized one (chopped)
Ginger-Garlic paste	-	1 tbsp
Red chilly powder	-	½ tsp
Coriander powder	-	¾ tsp
Pepper powder	-	½ tsp
Cumin powder	-	¼ tsp
Garam Masala	-	½ tsp
Salt	-	As Needed
Curry leaves	-	2 sprigs

The Way:

1. Clean the squid and cut it into rings or strips as per your preference. I got the squid cleaned and cut from the fishmonger, so all I had to do was rinse it well. If you are not as lucky and want to get it cleaned, there are many videos in youtube, click here, which can help you

2. Marinate the squid with salt, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and marinate for 1/2 an hour. I usually buy fish in the evening and so marinate them with the required spices and refrigerate them overnight for next day use. This also I did likewise and added 2 tbsp of shallots-garlic-pepper paste that I usually use for fish fry.

3. Take the marinated squid in a pan and add little water (less than 1/4 cup would be sufficient) and pepper powder. Cook over medium flame and then in low flame or about 15-20 minutes or till the squid is cooked. The squid becomes hard when cooked, so that's the cue. Do not overcook it as it becomes hard when overcooked. Once cooked keep the squid aside along with any water if remaining

4. In a pan, heat coconut oil. Splutter cumin seeds. Add the sliced shallots and slit green chilly and saute

5. Once the shallots become translucent (takes about 5-6 minutes) add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes (for about 3-4 minutes)

6. Then add all the spice powders - red chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, pepper powder and garam masala along with little salt (salt is there in the cooked squid, so add accordingly) and saute well. Leave it for a minute or two in low flame

7. Then add the chopped tomatoes and saute. The tomatoes should turn mushy and blend well with the shallots and spices and the masala should get a deep colour (as per your preference). So saute/cook on low flame till that point

8. Now add the cooked squid and give a nice stir  till the masala is coated well evenly. Leave it for a minute or two for the masala to sink in

9. Now add the curry leaves and give a quick stir and switch off the flame

Serve with moru curry, pappad and a thoran of your choice !

Cheers,
Chitz

Roasted Nectarine Smoothie

Hellova dear friends ! A big hi to all those who missed me & have been wondering where the heck I am :D I had been on a short break coz of my relocation to India. So now that's done & am slowly settling to the clock & climate of Chennai, I thought I would take a peep into my humble space & post something from my drafts. It's been quite a while since I met & heard from you guys & yes, I AM missing you people. Getting back to a full time work after the year long break is fun & challenging, but it would not be a complete truth if I told that I do not miss the all time blogger life ;)

So want to know what my comeback recipe is. It is a simple smoothie with a twist, which by guarantee would be loved by a fruit phobic or a picky fruit eater too ! Want a name? None other than Deeps ! Yes, he is a very picky fruit eater & u can say at times me too ;) We are not great fans of fruits that are bitter or sour. So I find ways to mask that sense of taste very often.. And this one (which I found while gawking on foodgawker) was an instant hit with Deeps. He was like 'This is good' which actually translates to 'Wow, this is great !!' The roasting of the fruit before turning it into a smoothie actually did wonders. So, if you are on the watch out to use a nectarine or a peach (as the original recipe called for) in ways other than the raw form, then this is the recipe. Try it out & do let me know how you felt about it ! 

Recipe Source: Scarletta Bakes

I Took: 50-60 minutes

Serves: 4 tall glasses

I Used:

Nectarines	-	4 large, pitted & quarted
Canola Oil	-	¼ cup
Sugar	-	¼ cup
Greek Yogurt	-	2 cup
Vanilla Ice cream	-	6 cup (I used 3 cups)

The Way:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degree C 
2. Toss the nectarine quarters with oil & sugar until well coated
3. Arrange the quarters on a parchment lined baking tray with the cut sides facing up. Roast them until the fruit is shriveled & darkened which would take about 30-40 minutes
4. Allow them to cool once roasted. Add Greek yogurt & Vanilla ice cream & blend it to a smooth uniform consistency. Blend in batches of half if your blender cannot accommodate the whole quantity
5. Serve in chilled tall glasses :)

Cheers,

Chitz