KISMUR (DRIED SHRIMP SALAD)

We have recently returned from a wonderful holiday spent in India with family and friends in Mumbai and Goa. We had a wonderful time in Goa; where besides spending time with family and friends, a major highlight undoubtedly was THE FOOD AND MORE FOOD.  We just couldn’t seem to get enough:)

Goa is famous for its cuisine especially the seafood delicacies. Hmmm, what do I say about the food!!!  I am absolutely drooling just thinking about all the seafood we ate.  Whilst hubby and the kids gorged on the fried chonak, rava fried fresh bombil and masala/rava fried mussels with a side of French fries and salad, I had my daily lunchtime fix of the very humble yet delicious fish thali. The dish that was a prominent feature in each and every thali was the dry shrimp kismur – absolutely delicious.

Kismur is a traditional goan dish – a dry shrimp/fish salad of sorts made with very few ingredients. The staple diet of the goans is xitt kodi (rice curry) and fish.  In the monsoons, when deep fishing is difficult/restricted and fresh fish is hard to come by, they would resort to eating dried fish/prawns which are sun-dried during the summer months and stored away; literally for a rainy day.  The kismur can be made with prawns (sungata) or shrimp (galmo or jawala as it is called in Marathi).   It is also made with dried fish like bombil, shark, kingfish etc.   My personal preference has to be the kismur made with dried shrimp.

Hubby and me have been feeling very nostalgic so the cure I have come up with is to re-create over a period of time the dishes we ate in Goa. Last Sunday’s lunch was a simple fare of rice with sorak and a side of kismur with raw mango water pickle.  Yummy.  Do try this simple and tasty dish.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried shrimps (galmo)

1 onion chopped fine

1 cup grated fresh coconut

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

1 green chilli chopped fine

1 tsp. chilli powder

Small ball of tamarind, soaked in a bit of warm water

1 tbsp. coconut oil

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves to garnish

Lemon wedges to serve

Method:

1. Sieve the shrimp to get rid of any sand or any residues. Heat a non-stick pan and fry the shrimp in 1 tbsp. of coconut oil till nice and crisp. It will give a nice roasted aroma. Do not burn.
2. Set aside in a plate.
3. In a mixing bowl, add all the other ingredients from coconut to the tamarind and lightly crush with your hands so that it is all well amalgamated and leave for flavours to infuse.
4. Just before serving add the onions and the roasted shrimp. Toss gently and garnish with coriander leaves.
5. Taste for seasoning. Adjust the salt and sourness (you could add some lemon juice or a dash of vinegar).
6. Serve right away. Perfect accompaniment to rice/sorak, rice/dhal or even rice/vegetable curry.

Notes:

• Make sure that the shrimp is well cleaned. If using dried prawns, break off the head, legs and tail. Wash and drain before frying. You might need to cut the prawns in two pieces.

• Do not skip out the coconut oil. The coconut oil gives the wonderful flavours.

• Mix the onions and shrimp just before serving so as to retain the crispiness and freshness of the salad.

• If you do not like raw onion, then lightly sauté in some oil; raw onions recommended.

• Auckland readers: Serandib on Dominion Road has very good dried shrimps sold in plastic bottles.