Recipe: Honey walnut shrimps with sautéed vegetables

Oriental cuisine at its best

Method

•  Prepare the batter by combining the sesame oil, mayonnaise, red chili, garlic paste, chicken powder, salt, honey, chili sauce, thyme and condensed milk in a large bowl.

•  Stir the mixture well and add the shrimps to it, coating on both sides. Mix well and set the bowl aside.

•  In the meantime, bring the water to a boil and add walnuts to it. Allow the walnuts to cook for about two to three minutes before draining the pan. Place the walnuts on a flat surface where they can cool.

•  Coat the shrimps with flour.

•  In a smaller bowl, whisk the eggs together with some water and dip the coated shrimps in it before frying.

•  Heat olive oil in a large pan and cook the marinated shrimps in it. Add the boiled walnuts and mix together.

•   Serve with sautéed or roasted vegetables. Your dish is now ready!

A two-step guide for peeling and deveining shrimps the right way

Clean shrimps are easy to find in the markets but are generally more expensive than those with their peels on. Why not save yourself some cash and learn how to clean them at home?

Peel it off: If the shrimps have got their heads on, start by twisting the tops gently to take them off. Once the heads are gone, move downwards to the legs and dig your thumbs underneath to release them. The tail can come off with an easy tug.

The cleaning technique: Since most shrimps are small, the cleaning process can get tricky so be careful with your knives. Begin by placing the shrimp down on a flat surface and run your knife along the center of its back. Be mindful of cutting too deep into the meat. Once you’re in, pull out the thin grey vein you see. If the recipe you are making requires tail-on shrimps, follow the same routine with the legs attached.

SOURCE: FOODNETWORK.COM

How to get rid of cooking smells

So many of our favourite seafood dishes look and smell so delicious on the dinner table that we often forget the awful smells they have left behind in the kitchen. And what’s worse than the smell is that it lingers until the next day! What can you do to eliminate the pungent cooking odour? Here are five, easy ideas.

Ventilate well: The best way to get rid of smells is to force them out as quickly as possible. Just opening a window will of course help but placing a small fan pointing towards it will expedite the process.

Seal the kitchen while cooking: Remember that fabrics absorb odour quickly and are much harder to clean. Therefore, you should close the doors of all bedrooms and other living spaces while cooking seafood lest you have to sleep in a room that smells.

Clean up quickly: Once the food is ready, put back all the spices, sauces, pots and pans immediately.

Make use of candles, sprays and spices: There is a huge variety of items you can purchase that will freshen up your cooking space. Scented candles and aerosol sprays are some options. You can also simmer some pleasant spices like cloves, citrus peels and cinnamon sticks in water. These emanate an all-natural smell that masks lingering food odour instantly.

Organic air fresheners: A bowl of vinegar, baking soda or coffee grounds left in the kitchen overnight will absorb the stubborn seafood smell naturally.

SOURCE: THEKITCHN.COM

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, August 9^th, 2015.