Indian grill: spice up shrimp with tandoori flavors for a casual dinner party

Sunset, May, 2004 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

Indian flavors are hot these days--and not just because they're spicy. A tandoori-style party is an easy way to entertain with Indian flair. Though your barbecue won't get quite as hot as the circular Indian clay oven called a tandoor--which reaches 800[degrees]--long skewers of plump shrimp will still emerge appetizingly singed, a mouth-watering centerpiece for a simple, seasonal dinner.

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Neela Paniz, chef and author of The Bombay Cafe (Ten Speed Press, 2000; $20), shows how. At her Los Angeles restaurant, Bombay Cafe, she cooks homestyle dishes with generous quantities of fresh ingredients but little fat. In this party menu based on her recipes, she marinates jumbo shrimp in a spicy green sauce made from fresh herbs and chiles. Combine them with cool mint chutney, a refreshing black-eyed pea salad, and purchased Indian breads in a great make-ahead menu for a crowd-pleasing spring barbecue.

Tandoori Shrimp in Green Marinade

PREP AND COOK TIME: 45 minutes

MAKES: 6 to 8 servings

NOTES: Garam masala is available in the spice section of many supermarkets; if you cannot find it, substitute 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon each ground cumin and pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon each ground cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and cayenne.

    1 cup coarsely chopped
      fresh cilantro
   10 cloves garlic, peeled
  1/3 cup coarsely chopped
      fresh ginger
    3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh
      serrano chiles (see "Chile
      Heat," page 132)
    1 tablespoon garam masala (see
      notes)
    1 tablespoon ground toasted
      cumin (directions follow)
  1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 1/2 to 3 pounds shrimp (8 to 12
      per lb.), shelled and deveined
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    1 teaspoon salt
      Lime wedges
      Mint chutney (recipe follows)

1. In a blender or food processor, whirl cilantro, garlic, ginger, chiles, garam masala, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne into a smooth paste, adding 1/3 to 1/2 cup water as needed to facilitate blending. Taste and add more cayenne, if desired. Scrape into a bowl.

2. Shortly before serving, rinse shrimp; drain well. Add to marinade with oil and salt; mix well. Thread shrimp onto 6 to 8 metal skewers, piercing them through the center so they lie flat in a row.

3. Lay shrimp skewers on an oiled grill over a solid bed of hot coals or over high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid. Cook, turning once, until shrimp are opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and serve with lime wedges and mint chutney.

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Per serving: 168 cal., 30% (50 cal.) from fat; 24 g protein; 5.6 g fat (0.8 g sat.); 4.1 g carbo (0.4 g fiber); 465 mg sodium; 175 mg chol.

Ground toasted cumin. In a 6-to 8-inch frying pan over medium heat, stir 2 tablespoons cumin seeds often until lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Whirl in a blender until finely ground. Makes about 2 tablespoons.

Mint Chutney

PREP TIME: About 20 minutes

MAKES: About 1 cup

    2 tablespoons thinly sliced
      fresh serrano chiles
    1 onion (6 oz.), peeled
      and cut into 1-inch chunks
    1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 cups firmly packed fresh
      mint leaves
  1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  1/4 cup lime juice
    1 teaspoon ground toasted cumin
      (directions precede)
      About 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a blender, whirl chiles, onion, and garlic into a smooth paste, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons water as needed to ease blending.

2. Add mint, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; whirl until smooth, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water as needed to facilitate blending. Scrape into a bowl and add more salt to taste.

Per tablespoon: 17 cal., 11% (1.8 cal.) from fat; 1 g protein; 0.2 g fat (0 g sat.); 3.5 g carbo (1.9 g fiber); 81 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

PREP TIME: About 20 minutes

MAKES: 6 to 8 servings

NOTES: Use 2 cans (15 oz. each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained. Or soak 1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas in 2 quarts water overnight, drain, then cover with water (about 2 qt.) and simmer until tender to bite, 20 to 30 minutes; drain and let cool.

    1 cucumber (10 oz.)
    1 red onion (6 oz.)
    2 tomatoes (12 oz. total)
    1 fresh serrano chile (3 in. long)
3 1/2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
      (see notes)
  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
      About 1 teaspoon salt
  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    3 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Peel cucumber and cut in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds with a spoon and discard. Dice cucumber (about 1/4 in.) and put in a large bowl. Peel and chop onion; rinse and drain. Rinse and stem tomatoes and chile; chop tomato and mince chile. Add onion, tomatoes, chile, black-eyed peas, cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to cucumber. Mix well.

2. Up to 30 minutes before serving, mix in lemon juice. Add more salt to taste.

Per serving: 110 cal., 5% (5.4 cal.) from fat; 6.7 g protein; 0.6 g fat (0.1 g sat.); 21 g carbo (8.2 g fiber); 303 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.