Nasik Shrimp1

This is a dry shrimp gravy preparation full of flavor, perfect to have with Puri or Rumali Roti. All the flavor is built from scratch as no ready-made masala is needed.First grind the onions, ginger and 6 pieces of garlic in a chopper/grinder. Saute them in hot oil (6 tablespoons) until mixture is quite reddish-brown. Keep stirring the mixture so it does not stick to the pan. After the mixture starts turning golden-brown, bring the heat down to medium and continue until it becomes reddish-brown. This process will take about 15 - 20 minutes. While the saute is going on, grind the spices i.e. black pepper, cloves, bada elaichi and jeera in a coffee grinder to fine powder. Once the onion/ginger/garlic mixture is well sauted and most of the water is gone, pat the mixture with a flat spoon, and create a hole in the middle so the oil can collect in here. Once oil has collected, make sure heat is at medium, then drop the coconut powder in the hole. Let it saute at medium heat for a few minutes. Once the coconut powder starts turning brown, immediately mix it with the rest of the onion-garlic-ginger paste. Now add the shrimp and the spice powder, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and mix thoroughly with the rest of the mixture, cover and let cook at low-medium heat for 20 minutes. Keep heat low or it will burn at bottom of vessel. While the shrimps are getting cooked, chop coriander leaves very fine with knife or in a food chopper. If using food chopper, make sure it does not become paste. Now slice the remaining 6 garlic pieces into thin slices. Once the shrimps are cooked, add in the chopped coriander leaves and garlic slices. Mix thoroughly, cover and let cook again for about 10 minutes. After this, the dry shrimp dish is ready. Serve with Puri and make sure everyone gets a share, because it will get finished very quickly. Try this for the afternoon meal, and you will find yourself so satisfied, that you will take a long afternoon nap.