Spice Crusted Shrimp with Raita and Onion, Roasted Tomato, Bell Pepper and Buttercup Squash over White Rice
Made with Gluten and Lactose – Free products
None to low fat
I bought a 12” ceramic skillet, my brother Ajit recommended it when I told him I had to follow an extremely low or no fat diet for a few weeks. I was astounded when I discovered caramelized 1 ½ c of ¼" diced onion in 1 TEASPOON of ghee. The skillet was on medium low heat and it took about 5 minutes for the onions begin to turn golden.
Yes, cooking with more fat will give a richer and a deeper flavor, but this recipe showed how to cook a recipe using a ceramic skillet with a very little fat.
This dish can be made with chicken thighs or pork or beef. The m6.eat will of course, need longer cooking. You can also make it with salmon. The salmon can be cooked in cubes or cooked as a steak or fillet depending on what you purchased, and then flaked. If your decision is to mix it all together with the roasted vegetables, add it at the very end.
Originally this recipe was written for cooking on a grill. I used my ceramic skillet, 1 t ghee, and the heat on medium to medium low. Also, you can use your grill or your broiler. It was way too hot in my kitchen for the broiler. The grill would have taken time to heat up. By the time it would take the grill to heat up the meal was cooked and on the table.
It is fast, easy, tasty and if you use chicken or pork not expensive.
Prep the ingredients:
Shrimp marinade: (if you use meat, toss with 1 t baking soda dissolved in 1 T water)
Shrimp - 1lb jumbo or colossal, peeled,
Water – 1 c, cold water
Kosher salt – 1 T
Spice mix:
Ground coriander - 2 t
Ground cumin - 2 t
Paprika – 1 T
Garlic powder - 1 t
Ground ginger - 1 t
Ground cayenne pepper – ½ t (optional)
Chili powder – ½ t (optional)
Olive oil (or ghee) - 1 T (if you are using a ceramic skillet, you will need only about 1 t oil or ghee).
Let’s get cooking:
Mix the spices in a small bowl. Add more cayenne and or chili powder if you like it spicy.
Drain and dry the shrimp with paper towels and toss with oil.
Add 1- 2 T mixed spices to the oiled shrimp and toss well. Don’t add salt since the shrimps were soaked in salt water. Serve with salt on the side. Let rest in refrigerator for 30 mins. If you have the time, otherwise let rest on the counter while you prep the vegetables. Sauté in a ceramic coated pan with 1 t oil or ghee. Or thread on skewers, brush with oil and grill or broil.
To go with the spicy shrimp, I made cucumber yogurt or Raita:
Cucumber - 1 mini
Red onion – 2 T, minced
Yogurt – 3 oz plain fat free, Greek or regular (add as much of the 3 oz as you like)
Kosher Salt – 1 t
Ground pepper – ¼ t
Fresh dill – 2 t chopped (optional)
Peel the cucumber and cut in two, then cut in two lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Then slice the cuke paper thin, (mandolin works well), then julienne, sprinkle with salt and let sit 30 minutes in a strainer set over a bowl. Lots of liquid will drain out into the bowl!
Squeeze out all the liquid you can and reserve as you may need it to thin the regular, stir up well and refrigerate after adding salt, ground black pepper and dill.
Then for the vegetable sauté: (to roast cut the vegetables in ½" or larger dice)
Tomatoes - 2 c ¼” diced (plum tomatoes are best as they have less seeds and liquid)
Onion - 2 c ¼” diced
Italian pepper - 1 c ¼” diced
Winter squash -2 c diced into ½” dice. (Buttercup or Butternut squash)
Olive oil or ghee - 1T (1 to 2 t, if using a ceramic skillet)
Butter milk/ milk/ yogurt/or the liquid from the cucumber - ½ c
Using the same skillet used for the shrimp, without washing it out, sauté onion till translucent, then add the garlic and stir, if necessary, add a scant t of ghee or oil. Add tomato, pepper and squash. Scrape out all the left-over spice clinging to the sides of the bowl that held the shrimp. (There should be extra spice mix left over, add some of that to all the vegetables.) No additional seasonings are needed. If you want, mix up, ¼ of the spice mix that you used for the shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes and then add (if needed) liquid when the vegetables are almost dry.
I cooked the vegetables separately rather than mix them together.
Serve over white rice. Nice crusty bread or gluten free tortillas. Add a salad and a desert and this dish will definitely work for 4 or even 6. Rice or a tapioca pudding goes well as an ending. Tonight, it will be Jell-O sugar-free chocolate pudding!
If you like lots of shrimp, add more! I used 12 oz of colossal shrimp and 12 oz of large shrimp. I marinated the two sizes of shrimp separately as they needed different cooking times. Then I mixed them together. I mixed each vegetable with the spices separately and cooked them separately, I used a scant t more of ghee. instead of mixing the shrimp, and the vegetables, I served them separately.
I plan to try this recipe using chicken thighs, skinned and boned and cut in bite size pieces. Then I will try it with pork and beef. Or cubed salmon!
This was a very yummy dish. more than I thought it would be.
Enjoy!