Portuguese Curried Shrimp with Rice 葡式咖哩蝦飯

Seafood is one of my favorite foods, especially shrimp and lobster. Gone are the good old days I spent in Boston when lobster was on sale for $2.99/pound or even less! I could have a few lobsters in a meal.

This is the first time I try to make a curried shrimp with rice dish. Instead of using water to steam the rice, the rice is cooked with shrimp broth. It makes the rice exceptionally flavorful and unique.

It is relatively easy to make and I think your family would want to try it as well, especially during winter time.

Recipe modified from Portuguese Homestyle Cooking by Ana Patuleia Ortins

我喜歡食海鮮, 蝦及龍蝦更是我的至愛。還記得在波士頓的日子, 龍蝦當造時會以超低價$2.99或以下一磅有售, 我可以一次過食上幾隻。真是令人懷愐那些日子!

今次是我首次做咖哩蝦飯, 我及家人都很喜歡, 飯是用蝦頭、蝦殼熬的湯來煮, 別有風味, 值得一試。

今晚食物餸 ? 就試吓食葡式咖哩蝦飯啦 ! 天氣冷, 食了可以暖胃。

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells and heads reserved* 一磅半大蝦,去頭、殼及腸,頭及殼留用
4 cups water 四杯水
1 cup white wine 一杯白酒
1 small onion, finely chopped 一個小洋葱,切碎
1 bay leaf 一片月桂葉
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice 一杯半米
1 tsp salt 一茶匙鹽
1tbsp butter 一湯匙牛油
1 tbsp olive oil 一湯匙橄欖油
1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped 一個大蕃茄,去皮及籽,切碎
1 clove garlic, finely chopped 一瓣蒜頭,切碎
1/2 tsp paprika 半茶匙辣椒粉
1 tbsp sweet or hot curry powder dissolved in 1/4 cup warm milk 一湯匙茄哩粉,加四份一杯奶攪勻
1/2 cup heavy cream 半杯奶油

1)  Put the shrimp shells, water, wine and half of the onion and the bay leaf together in a pot. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Strain, saving the broth.
2)  Cook rice using an electric rice cooker with an appropriate amount of shrimp broth and 1 tsp salt.
3)  While the rice is cooking, in a skillet put olive oil and saute the remaining onion until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic and paprika. Add shrimp broth just to cover. Turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt. Add more broth if it has evaporated.
4)  Stir in the curry mixture and the remaining shrimp broth and cook until it reduces by half.
6) Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the cream. Return the pan to medium-low heat and simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
7)  Heat up another pan under medium heat. Put butter in and saute the shrimp for 2 minutes or until it changes color. Season with salt to your taste. Combine the shrimp and the sauce.
7)  Serve the shrimp on top of the rice and put the sauce on top or on the side.

將水、白酒、月桂葉、一半洋葱碎、蝦頭及殼放大鍋內煲十五分鐘, 湯盛起, 渣不要。米洗淨用適量蝦湯及鹽煮成飯。在一平底鍋內放油炒洋葱至透明, 約十分鐘, 加蕃茄、蒜蓉、辣椒粉及適量蝦湯, 慢火上蓋煮約十五分鐘,下鹽試味。加入咖哩奶及適量之蝦湯, 慢火煮至稍為濃稠,離火, 加入奶油, 攪勻, 回火, 邊攪邊煮多一分鐘, 熄火。在另一鍋內放牛油, 用中火煮蝦, 放少許鹽, 炒約兩分鐘至轉色, 加入已煮好的汁內。盛飯在碟上, 再加蝦及汁上面便成。

*Note:
1)  The original recipe uses headless shrimps but I think including the heads in making the broth would give it more flavor.
1)  The amount of paprika and curry powder can be adjusted to your own taste.
2)  Any type of rice can be used. Different type of rice needs different amount of liquid. Adjust the amount of broth used in cooking the rice.
3)  You may not need to use up all the broth.