** Note to Myself: Update with better pics taken in daylight
I have never admitted this before but I think on some days, I expect a lot from BigSis. With the little one throwing her signature tantrums, the Dad having fun with erratic schedules and my PMS stretching to a month, I forget that BigSis is only a 7 year old. And a very mature, good hearted 7 year old at that.
If I think of my 7 year old self, I remember nothing. On trying hard I see a shy girl who thought "Ekkuze Me" translated to "going to pee". Yes, I was that dumb.
Fast forward to BigSis who in spite of having her moments is such a huge help when she sees Mommy has too much to do. She packs her lunch bag with her snack the night before, fills up her water bottle for school, dresses herself in the morning without much help, does all her homework without being asked to and acts pretty responsible most of the time.
She is also extremely generous with her stuff and doesn't complain much if LS scribbles a horrific A on the pages of her brand new diary. She eagerly shares everything with her little sis(who btw finished her didi's box of tic-tacs hiding behind a couch) and if I give her a chocolate for snack at school, she brings that back to split with the sis.
She even wrote a limerick about her sister
My sister was very very small
All she could do was craw and crawl
Now she can walk
Now she can talk
And she does not remember that at all
The biggest help in the last few days has been letting LS sleep in the crook of her arms at night. For that I can tuck them in and come away to finish off my work. Else I would be lying there for all of 30 to 60 minutes and praying to the Universe while LS tossed and turned.
And yet when she gets buttons of her sweater wrong, skips her piano practice and climbs on her Dad's shoulders, we tell her "Tumi ar boro hole na(you haven't grown up at all)", always forgetting that she is only 7 after all.
I made this Goan Shrimp Curry on a recent weeknight. Don't ask me why I would do such things but things happen. I based this on the Goan Chicken Curry from Anjum Anand, but since that was pretty mild I hiked the Red Chili in this one. If you are a wimp when it comes to Red Chili, go with the alert and stay safe.
Also inspired by a recipe of Shrimp Curry my sis-in-law had sent, I used Coconut Milk to make the gravy and added few Curry leaves for flavor. That totally took the taste to a whole new level. It was creamy, rich with a lightly sweet coconut taste and bursting with flavor. Everyone who had it loved it. It tasted very close to the Bong Prawn Malaikari and you realized how Coconut smudges borders.
I called it Bong Mom's version simply because there are so many variations out there and I am no Mario Miranda to vouch for its authenticity. I insist that you make it this Saturday, that is tomorrow, come on now.
Read more...
Goan Shrimp Curry
Make Goan Red Spice Paste
5-6 Dry Red Chilli(Heat Alert: Go with 2 if you have a weak palate)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
1 & 1/ 2 tsp Roasted Coriander Powder
3 cloves
6 black peppercorns
1& 1/2" piece of cinnamon
9 large cloves of garlic peeled
1 tsp tamarind paste(skipped)
1/4 tsp- 3/4tsp sugar (according to your taste, you can skip too)
3/4tsp salt
a splash(1-2 tbsp) of white vinegar
Put all of the above in a blender jar and make a paste with minimum or no water added.
Note: Instead of the Roasted Cumin and Corriander Powder you can use same amount of Cumin & Corriander seeds.
Prep Shrimp
Peel and devein shrimp Or buy a pack of raw de-veined shrimp
Toss 20-25 shrimp in salt and little turmeric powder and keep aside for 10-15 mins.
Go make the Shrimp Curry
Heat White Oil in a large saucepan
If you are frying the shrimp, saute them now till they turn a light shade of yellow. Remove and keep aside.Note: You can also add the raw shrimp to the gravy and cook it later
To the same oil, add 1 large onion sliced or chopped fine and two hot Indian green chili sliced, cook until browned.
Add the Goan Red Spice paste and cook for 5 minutes. Your nose might tingle with the sharpness of the chili.
Add 1/2 of a large tomato chopped, salt to taste and cover and cook until the tomatoes have softened and reduced. Uncover the pan and cook the tomatoes further in their juice for 6-8 minutes, stirring in between till you see oil separating from the masala.
Add about 1 cup of unsweetened thick Coconut Milk + 2/3 cup of warm water. Throw in a few curry leaves. Add salt to taste and adjust for sweetness, hotness etc.. Let the gravy come to a boil.
Add the shrimp. If the shrimp is already fried cook for a couple of minutes at low heat till the gravy thickens. If the shrimp is raw, cook till shrimp looses its raw color and looks pinkish-white and cooked. Note: Too much cooking will make the shrimp chewy and rubbery so there be careful
Remove from heat, cover and let it sit for 40-45 minutes. Warm and serve with White Rice. It is superbly delicious.
I want big Sis here at home ASAP. She is so so sweet and goog.
ReplyDeleteOh how i remember those days when I I used to just lay there awake praying for all the gods i know that S would sleep and sometimes it took almost 2 hours..........
Love love the shrimp curry. And i really think bg S is so sweet to bring the chocolate back home to share with LS. I am sure LS will appriciate when she gets big how good a BS she had.
I do, I apriciate my two big sister more than when I did when i was little .
Oh, I pray every night that my daughter falls asleep quickly and doesn't wake up in the middle of the night! And do you think I can substitute chicken in this curry...I bought some and have no shrimps!!
ReplyDeleteJyo
ReplyDeleteGo ahead, use chicken, I am going to do the same this weekend with rest of the Coconut Milk
From what you mention, Big Sis kintu onek gulo kaaj bodo der thekay bhalo parchay. I am sure you also must be thinking that same. I think duto holay, bodo ta beshi bojhdaar hoay.
ReplyDeleteWill try the Goan Shrimp. I failed miserably at Goan Chicken and my husband said I should follow your recipes more accurately. So may be this time, I will get it right.
Boro howar onek pressure ... khub lokkhi meye tomar.
ReplyDeleteAr ki juicy ar succulent dekhacche prawn gulo ... ekta tule nite icche korche. Eta ekbar kortei hobe. :-)
Shreya's Mom
ReplyDeleteYou are right, because they are both around, she takes up the more matured role
The Goan Chicken recipe was written as in the book. I made changes while cooking which I put in the notes etc. Maybe I should have been more accurate. I did not use as much vinegar or as many tomatoes as suggested. Also I sauted/kashaoed the chicken till browned.
This Spice paste is very good though. Next i am going to make Goan Chicken with coconut Milk
Excellent recipe! I am a longtime lurker on this website and stopped by to commend you on this recipe.
ReplyDeleteSandeepa, to start with a big big hug for Big Sis. She is really showing traits of a big sis in a nuclear family.
ReplyDeleteLoved the limerick :)
ReplyDeleteThe Goan fish curry looks delightful and similar to prawn bafad, a Mangalorean dish, which we have at Goa and very similar to malai curry
Picture itself makes me hungry...drooling here..
ReplyDeleteI saved your post to read when the house was quiet - both boys are upstairs asleep. Now I realise that I missed making the shrimp curry tonight, will tomorrow do? Why is it that big bro' in our household has taken up the same kind of role and also gets scanty praise for it? Those younger siblings are a crafty bunch methinks...
ReplyDeleteI have been a regular follower of your blog for sometime now, and have tried out some of the recipes as well. Love the fact that you modify some of the traditional recipes to suit our means and lifestyle here in the US. This post touched a chord, we have somewhat similar dynamics at home with big brother and little sister! Loved the limerick :)
ReplyDeleteHey..Nice pics..tried out this recipe and was too good..
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
I tried this with chicken (offcourse from our website)..it was very nice.
ReplyDeletewill try with chingri...
cheers,
DR
http://dayeetasworld.blogspot.com/
Excellent recipe as usual. Love sweet Big Sis! Reminds me of my niece.And Ekkuze Me I only made the dish on sunday!!!
ReplyDeleteSibling love will grow stronger I am sure. I have a younger sis and I miss her immensely as I reside across the oceans.
ReplyDeleteGoan curry looks great and I tasted a similar dish a neighbor had made last week. He made it South Indian style (thats what he said) but had no coconut in it. (ran out stock) Nevetheless curry tasted delicious...
will try soon..
It's mouth watering :)
ReplyDeleteOkay, if I could smash my laptop's screen, climb in and have at that shrimp, I would; it looks that good.
ReplyDeleteNo surprise that BigSis is a generous, warm-hearted little girl; I'm sure she takes after her mom. The limerick is too cute. Hope she goes on to write more.
somehow the elder ones grow up before their time when there is a younger brat around.:) so sweet, ur big sis deserves a hug.
ReplyDeleteSandeepa- Big Sis has grown up- Gosh that is why I prefer gals :) My boy is 10 years now, man I am pretty much behind him probably he is the only one. She deserves a Big hug :)
ReplyDeleteI am fan of seafood, i will try this one :)
shooting at night or not, this curry looks delicious :) So sweet of Big S :)
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness S, I am too late to make this last Saturday (my loss) but I am *definitely* going to make it this Saturday, which is today!
ReplyDeleteYou could not have known I was looking for just such a recipe -- shrimp with plenty of spicy gravy! It's going to be prefect with my new favorite rice. And your nighttime photo suits me fine.
As for BigSis's poem, I think that is amazing. What a combination -- fabulous mind and endless heart. Surely she gets it from mom :)
I could do with some of that curry right now.
ReplyDeleteFollowing up, I made this last Saturday eve just as you instructed and it was beyond delicious! Luckily I was smart and made a big batch of the paste -- Sunday eve I made it again adding tofu with the shrimp. Thanks for this yummy recipe! :)
ReplyDeleteDear S
ReplyDeleteYou are right. we do expect a lot from our kids these days. that is because life has become hectic with little time to spare and help not easily available. when we were kids, we grew up in joint family with thamma, pishis cousin didis. so the pressure was less. in today's nuclear families things are different. Big Sis is very sweet and soooo helpful. Don't tell her she hasn't grown up. girls as it is think more about their parents than boys. yes. do remember she's only 7, and we couldn't even fill a bottle without spilling at her age.
This is mess in the name of Goan shrimp Curry
ReplyDelete