Spicy Mango Shrimp Curry

I was cleaning out my fridge when I found this homemade sweet and sour mango chutney sitting in a corner. I had my mind set on making mango chicken for a while but I never had the two ingredients at the same time. This time too there was the mango but no chicken, so I decided to go ahead with shrimp.
If you are using fresh or frozen mangoes add the mangoes before adding the coconut milk.

Ingredients:
Shrimp – 35-40
Onion – 1 medium (chopped)
Garlic – 4 cloves (finely chopped)
Bell pepper (optional) – 1 (diced)
Mango chutney – 5 tbsp
Light coconut milk – 6 oz.
Fish sauce (optional) – 1 tsp
Red chili flakes – 1 ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2 tbsp

Procedure:
My family loves their shrimp soft and tender so I pressure cook the shrimp. You can directly add the shrimp to the pan once the gravy is done.

In a pan heat oil and add red chili flakes and garlic and fry until the garlic is cooked. Next add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.

To the onion mixture add 3 tbsp of the mango chutney and fish sauce. Stir until the chutney has blended into the mixture.

Now add water (I used the fish stock from boiling the shrimp) and let simmer. When the gravy has reached the desired thickness, add coconut milk, shrimp and bell pepper (if using) and bring to a boil. Cook until peppers are cooked but still retain their crunch.

Garnish with sliced chilies and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro. Serve with steamed rice.

Paella

Thinking of making paella for a while now. Finally it is time. Like my father says, “ajke din bhalo ache, kore phel” (Today is a good day to do it. And the ‘it’ symbolizes whatever it is that you are postponing.) So today it is paella day for me. But in making this dish I left out a few staple ingredients – the clams and mussels, primarily because I have never tried cooking them, and since a friend was invited for dinner I didn’t want to try my experiments on him, more so because this was the only dish. But I have to say even without the mussels the paella tasted fine. Next time will try cooking with them.

Ingredients:
Chicken breast – 2 (cut into cubes)
Spanish chorizo sausage – 1 (cut into thick slices)
Shrimp – ½ pound (peeled and deveined)
Scallops – 6
Red bell pepper – 1 (diced)
Green bell pepper – 1 (diced)
Tomato – 2 (pureed)
Red onion – 1 (finely chopped)
Garlic cloves – 5 (finely chopped)
Frozen peas – ½ cup
Medium grain rice – 1 cup
Chicken stock – 1 cup
Water – 1 cup
Paprika – 1 tbsp + 2 tsp
Saffron strands – a generous pinch
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Olive oil
Fresh flat leaf parsley – ½ bunch (chopped)
Lemon wedges – for garnish

Procedure:
In a bowl rub the chicken pieces with a tablespoon of paprika, season with salt and pepper and set aside for at least 30 minutes to one hour.

Heat olive oil in a wide shallow skillet. When oil is hot add the chicken cubes and fry until browned evenly on all sides. Remove and reserve.

Next, fry the chorizo until browned. Remove and reserve.

Next, sear the scallops on both sides. Remove and reserve.

Next, sauté the shrimp until they turn pink. Remove and reserve.

Now in the same pan (add oil when necessary) sauté the onion, garlic and parsley.

Next add the pureed tomatoes and 2 tsp paprika and cook until the mixture caramelizes. This mixture is called a sofrito.

Meanwhile heat the chicken stock and water in a pot and keep it warm.

Now add the green and red bell peppers to the sofrito and cook for a minute or so.

Next add the rice and fry to coat the grains with the sofrito. Now add the saffron strands, chicken stock and water and cook the rice.

When the rice is cooked halfway add the chicken and sausage.

When the rice is almost done add the scallops and shrimp.

When the rice is cooked crank up the heat and let the rice toast at the bottom.

Remove from heat, add the frozen peas and keep covered for 5 minutes.

Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.