Pilaf is a widespread oriental dish of meat and rice. But there are its various variations, including seafood. Since in most Russian regions there is no access to the sea, shrimp and its other gifts can be found on sale only in frozen form. But this is not a big problem, as seafood is prepared very simply. How to cook unrefined boiled-frozen shrimp? To cook them correctly, you need to hold them in warm water until they thaw, and then only bring to a boil. At this point, the product is ready to be added to various dishes, including pilaf.
In turn, there are plenty of recipes for pilaf with shrimp, oddly enough. You can make the classic version by replacing or supplementing the usual meat with seafood, or you can make a more exotic version with nuts.
Spanish summer version
In this fragrant dish, friable yellow grains of rice resemble a beach with golden rubble scattered across the ocean line. Toasted almonds look like sea pebbles, and greens are associated with lush palm trees. Mustard seeds burst pleasantly in your mouth when you eat this dish. To cook Spanish shrimp pilaf, you will need:
- 15 unpeeled large shrimp;
- 250 grams of basmati rice;
- 500 ml of chicken stock;
- 1 tablespoon olive oil;
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter;
- 1 small onion;
- 3 cloves of garlic;
- 2 tablespoons tea mustard cereal;
- a quarter teaspoon ground cinnamon;
- 2 tablespoons turmeric;
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds;
- juice and zest of half a lemon;
- a handful of toasted almonds or pine nuts;
- salt and pepper;
- a bunch of cilantro.
How to cook this version of the dish?
The recipe for pilaf with shrimps in the Spanish style is as follows. Pour 500 ml of chicken stock into a cauldron and add a few shrimp. Unpeeled seafood retains a lot of taste and aroma that will complement the broth. Bring the liquid to a boil and let the shrimp cook for 5 minutes under the lid. Then get the seafood, transfer the broth to another container.
Put both types of oil in a cauldron and fry the shrimps over medium heat. Be sure to season them with salt and pepper. When they turn pink, remove them from the pan. Cut the onions into cubes and put in the butter. Fry until half cooked, then add grated garlic to it. When the onion becomes translucent, lay the rice and mix until it turns golden. It takes 3-4 minutes.
Now pour in the broth. Add all the spices, lemon zest and juice to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Tighten the fire to a minimum and cover the cauldron with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes. During this time, rice must be cooked, and all the liquid will be absorbed. At this point, place the shrimp in the dish. You may need to heat the pilaf under the lid for a few more minutes so that the seafood can warm up. Then put the finished dish on a plate, sprinkle with toasted almonds and coarsely chopped cilantro.
If you use frozen seafood, you should be guided by the instructions on how to cook boiled-frozen unpeeled shrimp. To do this, place them in a slightly heated broth and bring to a boil over low heat. It is not necessary to fry them in this case.
Indian style pilaf
This is another interesting shrimp pilaf recipe with a spicy flavor. For him you will need:
- one and a half glasses of water;
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt;
- 1 bay leaf;
- 1 1/4 cup basmati rice;
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil;
- 1 small onion, chopped;
- a quarter cup of almonds;
- 1 1/4 cup peeled pistachios;
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander;
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric;
- 400 grams of peeled medium shrimp, cut into pieces;
- 4 prune fruits, cut into cubes;
- half a teaspoon of finely grated orange peel;
- salt and fresh ground pepper;
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill;
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
How to do it?
In a medium saucepan with a thick bottom, mix water with salt and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Add rice, cover and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender. It takes about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the onions, almonds, pistachios, coriander and turmeric and fry over moderate heat until the onions soften, about 4 minutes. Put the shrimp, prunes and orange zest and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp is opaque, about 3 minutes. Put rice and fry, stirring. Add dill and lemon juice and adjust the amount of salt and pepper. Arrange on plates and serve.
Pilaf with Chorizo and Shrimp
This dish is prepared very quickly and at the same time it turns out very tasty. The combination of spicy sausages and seafood looks unusual and attractive. Such a recipe for pilaf with shrimp requires the following components:
- 1 cup long-grain white rice;
- half a glass of dry white wine;
- 200 grams of smoked chorizo sausage, thinly sliced;
- 1 tablespoon olive oil;
- 1 clove of garlic, minced in minced meat;
- coarse sea salt and ground pepper;
- 500 grams of medium shrimp, peeled;
- 3 tomatoes, peeled and diced;
- half a glass of young peas green, fresh or thawed.
How to cook pilaf with seafood and sausage?
You can cook this shrimp pilaf in a slow cooker or microwave. Combine rice, wine, chorizo, oil, garlic and 1 1/4 cups of water, add pepper and salt to taste. Close the lid and cook until the rice is soft and the liquid is absorbed, stirring twice during cooking. Add shrimp, tomatoes and peas, mix, close and cook for another 4 minutes. Allow the dish to stand still for several minutes to allow the ingredients to absorb each other's smell. Cooking frozen shrimp in this case is almost no different from using fresh. Just pre-defrost them in cold water containers.
Prawn and ham pilaf
This dish is not only delicious, but also healthy. This is explained by the fact that it consists only of vegetables, brown rice and low-fat ham, along with seafood. For such a pilaf you will need:
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil;
- a third of a glass of chopped shallots;
- a quarter cup of low-fat ham;
- a glass of brown rice;
- a quarter cup of dry white wine;
- 1 cup green beans, chopped;
- one and a half glasses of chicken stock;
- 500 grams of peeled shrimp;
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice;
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce;
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill.
How to cook healthy pilaf?
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots and ham and fry, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add rice and fry for about 3 minutes. Pour the wine and heat, stirring constantly, until it evaporates. Add beans and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a soft boil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the shrimp in a separate pan with the remaining teaspoon of oil. Add the soy and lemon juice sauce and mix. How to fry shrimp in soy sauce? Cover the pan with a lid and heat for no more than five minutes. Seafood during this time should turn bright pink. Turn off the heat and leave the shrimp in the sauce for another three minutes so that they can soak in the taste and aroma. Then put them in rice with chopped dill and mix very carefully.