Makes 6 servings INGREDIENTS FOR THE RICE:
- 1½ cups (260 g) basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted clarified butter (Chapter Main Courses)
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
- 2 teaspoons ne sea salt
FOR THE TOPPING:
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted clarified butter (Chapter Main Courses)
- 1 medium onion, very thinly sliced
- ½ cup (70 g) raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- Fine sea salt
FOR THE SHRIMP:
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled
- One 1-inch (2.5 cm) chile such as Thai pepper or jalapeño, seeded
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted clarified butter (Chapter Main Courses)
- 1 pound (450 g) onions, very thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup (3 g) mint leaves, rmly packed
- ½ cup (5 g) cilantro leaves, loosely packed
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 teaspoon curry powder, preferably Madras
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
- Seeds from 5 cardamom pods, crushed, or about 20 black seeds
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Fine sea salt
- 1 pound (500 g) fresh or frozen medium shrimp, peeled, deveined if necessary (see Note on shrimp)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Cilantro and mint sprigs for garnish DIRECTIONS:
- Rinse the rice under cold running water, soak for 30 minutes, and drain for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of clarified butter in a skillet, add saffron and rice, cook until translucent. Add 3 cups boiling water and 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Make the topping: Heat 3 tablespoons of clarified butter in a heavy pan, add onion and cook until dark golden, add cashews and raisins, sauté until golden. Season and transfer to a sieve.
- Make a garlic, ginger, and chile paste with a pinch of salt.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of clarified butter in a skillet, add onions and cook until soft and golden. Add the garlic and ginger paste, spices, minced mint and cilantro leaves, lemon juice, hot water, and salt. Add shrimp and cook until pink.
- Serve by placing the rice on a large platter, top with the shrimp mixture, and garnish with the topping and fresh herb sprigs.
- Note: There are several ways to clarify butter
NOTES:
- The cashews are primordial to this dish, adding a contrasting toasty crunch and their characteristic smooth butteryness.
- Try this with a dry Riesling.
- Garam masala is a spice mixture that is the foundation of much Indian cooking. A basic garam masala contains cumin, peppercorns, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, coriander seeds, and bay leaves. If you don’t have any among your spices, you can either make it or do as I do and add the individual spices as you go.
- If using frozen shrimp, place them in the refrigerator the night before you plan to use them, in a strainer set over a bowl, to give them a chance to thaw at least partially and rid themselves of any coating of ice they may have. If you don’t have time to do this, give the shrimp a quick rinse under cool water, place them in a tea towel, and rub them to remove the ice coating. Otherwise, the dish will be watery.
- The recipe calls for 1 pound (500 g) medium shrimp, which will give you 31 to 35 individual shrimp. You may add or subtract from that amount as you wish.
- Don’t omit the salt when you pound the garlic, ginger, and chile; it creates some friction and helps any liquids emerge from the ingredients
