Today is National Fried Shrimp Day!

Today is National Fried Shrimp Day! I have died and gone to heaven, it is official! One of my favorite things to do in the world is walk the beach in San Clemente to Fisherman's, get an ice cold beer, a basket of popcorn shrimp and enjoy the waves and amazing view up the coast.

(image from www.omahasteaks.com)

Being that winter is upon us here in So Cal, and it would be an awfully chilly adventure to do that today when it is a forecasted high of like 50 degrees, I searched for some other yummy options! Here are a few from www.Epicurious.com! The Mangalore Fried Shrimp sounds deliciously spicy, the Shrimp Tempura Cocktail a tasty spin on the Shrimp Cocktail for holiday parties!

(image from www.calendarlive.com)

Mangalore Fried Shrimp
Epicurious 2004
By Suvir Saran and Stephanie Lyness
Indian Home Cooking

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Jhinga Mangaloree:
This dish is from the southern Indian coastal state of Karnataka, where seafood is an important part of the diet. The shrimp has extraordinary flavor. I sometimes vary the recipe by adding 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut along with the mustard seeds, or 2 to 6 chopped small fresh green chiles with the scallion. Serve with green chutney or lemon wedges, lemon rice, and a raita.

Ingredients:

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds or black mustard seeds
6 fresh or 10 frozen curry leaves, torn into pieces (optional)
3 tablespoons finely chopped scallion
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Rinse the shrimp and pat them dry on paper towels. Put them in a bowl and sprinkle with the cayenne, turmeric, mustard powder, and lemon juice. Stir gently to coat the shrimp evenly with the spices. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

When the shrimp have marinated, combine the oil, cumin or mustard seeds, and curry leaves, if using, in a large wok, frying pan, or kadai over medium-high heat. Cover, if using mustard seeds (the seeds splatter and pop), and cook until the cumin darkens and/or you hear the mustard seeds crackle, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, 30 seconds, stirring often.

Add the chopped scallion and cook, stirring, until the shrimp turn pink all over, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

(image from www.nakatorestaurant.com)

Shrimp Tempura Cocktail
Bon Appétit September 2003
by chef Ming Tsai

Yield: Makes 8 appetizer servings

Janet and Travis Kuhl of Cranford, New Jersey, writes: "We recently went to chef Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Our entire meal was top-notch, but the shrimp cocktail was our favorite."
Poured carefully side by side into a cocktail glass, tomato puree and avocado puree make a colorful dip for the lightly battered and quickly deep-fried shrimp.

Ingredients:

Tomato-chipotle puree
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chiles*

Avocado puree
2 large ripe avocados, peeled, pitted
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced jalapeño chiles

Shrimp tempura
Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)

2 cups rice flour**
2 cups club soda
24 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail shells left intact

4 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce

Preparation:

For tomato-chipotle puree:
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until very brown, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, and chipotle chiles. Cook 1 minute. Transfer mixture to blender; puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer puree to bowl. Cover and chill until cold.

For avocado puree:
Combine all ingredients in processor; puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer puree to bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of puree; chill at least 20 minutes and up to 3 hours.

For shrimp tempura:
Add enough vegetable oil to heavy large pot to reach depth of 3 1/2 inches. Heat over medium-high heat to 375°F.

Whisk rice flour and club soda in large bowl to blend. Working in batches, dip shrimp into batter and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to paper towels.

Divide romaine among 8 stemmed cocktail glasses. Simultaneously pour 1/4 cup tomato puree and 1/4 cup avocado puree over romaine in each glass, letting purees meet in center. Hang 3 shrimp over rim of each glass.

*Chipotle chiles canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

**Rice flour is available at specialty and natural foods stores.

(image from www.seapak.com)



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