Step 1
Note: In this recipe, the onion-tomato fried rice and shrimp are cooked separately. We will start with the rice as it takes longer to cook than shrimp. Also, we are cooking the rice in a pressure cooker. You can use another method of your choice to cook the rice.
Onion-Tomato Fried Rice Recipe
Thoroughly rinse the rice 3 to 4 times, until water is clear. Rinsing removes extra starch sticking to the rice grains. Drain water and keep the rice aside.
Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil (or another cooking oil of your choice) in a pressure cooker on medium-high. Add the cumin seeds and whole garam masala to the hot oil.
Note: Keep the remaining olive oil for marinating the shrimp.
Step 3
When the cumin seeds start to crackle and the whole garam masala starts to sizzle, add the onions. Fry the onions on medium-high heat until they are golden-brown and slightly crisp. Frying at high temperature will yield crispy onions, which provide a nice texture to the dish.
Step 4
Now, add the chopped tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, coriander powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix all the ingredients well, add a couple tablespoons of water, and cook until the tomatoes are mushy and the spices separate from the oil. You will notice oil bubbles on the surface of the spice mixture, when it’s cooked. In this process, you may need to add a few more teaspoons of water to prevent the spices from burning.
Note: Keep the remaining red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt for marinating the shrimp.
Step 5
Add the rice and mix well. Add 1 and 1/4 cups of water (just 1/4 cup more water than rice). The rice is cooked on 3 whistles on high heat. Remove the cooker from stove, and let the pressure inside the cooker release by itself before opening the lid.
Note: The cooking time and method will depend on the appliance and brand of rice you are using.
Step 6
Shrimp Recipe
In this recipe, we are baking the shrimp (you can choose to saute the shrimp instead of baking). Preheat the oven at 360 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius.
While the oven is preheating, marinate the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/4 red chili powder, tandoori masala, cumin powder, minced garlic and ginger, 1 tablespoon olive oil (or another cooking oil of your choice), and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
Note: If you are using frozen shrimp, make sure it’s properly thawed and drained. Also, pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel before marinating.
Step 7
Layer a baking tray with a sheet of aluminum foil and place a
cooling/roasting rack on top of the baking tray. Arrange the marinated shrimp in a single layer on the cooling/roasting rack.
Note: The cooling/roasting rack will prevent the marinated shrimp from getting soggy while they cook. The water released from the shrimp and marinade will drip in the baking tray, leaving the shrimp nice and juicy, but not soggy in the leftover water.
Step 8
Bake the shrimp for about 10 minutes until the shrimp turns orange-pink.
Note: Shrimp cooks very fast. Take it out of the oven or pan (if sauteing) as soon as it changes color from gray to orange-pink. Overcooking for even a few minutes will result in chewy shrimp.
Step 9
Serve the shrimp over onion-tomato fried rice. Salad and pickle goes well on the side.
Shrimp and prawns can be cooked in many ways. These can be baked, grilled, sauteed, fried, or boiled. In this recipe, Shrimp Over Rice, the shrimp and onion-tomato fried rice are cooked separately and then the shrimp is served over the fried rice. The shrimp is marinated with lots of garlic, some basic spices, lime juice, and oil and baked. White basmati rice is cooked with onions, tomatoes, some spices, and whole garam masala to complement the mildly spiced shrimp. This combination is heavenly for the seafood lovers.
Happy Cooking!