Cooking for two

Tandoori-Style Shrimp charred to ideal

For The Washington Post/STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG Tandoori-Style Shrimp With Rice and Peas
For The Washington Post/STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG Tandoori-Style Shrimp With Rice and Peas

Enough with the shrimp dishes that aren't so generous with the star ingredient. Here, a combination of spices that beats any supermarket garam masala is stirred into yogurt for a marinade that coats the seafood and keeps it moist, even under the broiler. The heat of cayenne pepper in that spice blend may intensify after a few bites, so if you are sensitive to it, start with ¼ teaspoon instead of adding the full ½ teaspoon straight away.

While the shrimp marinates, you make rice that's guaranteed not to be gummy or mushy. That's because you boil it, in lots of water, as you would pasta. Freshly grated carrot and frozen peas come to the right temperature once they are stirred into the just-cooked rice and allowed to sit for a few minutes, under cover.

Tandoori-Style Shrimp With Rice and Peas

1 cup plain yogurt (regular or low-fat)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne), or to taste

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 pound peeled and deveined large raw shrimp

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided use

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 medium or large carrot

¾ cup frozen peas

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, whisk or stir together the yogurt, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne and the turmeric in a mixing bowl. Discard or reserve the tails (shells) from the shrimp, as needed; you can toss them in a freezer-safe zip-top bag for making shrimp stock.

Stir in the shrimp to coat evenly. Let sit for 20 minutes.

When the water comes to a boil, add ½ teaspoon of the salt and the rice; reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring a few times, until tender. The grains should look plumped.

Scrub the carrot well, then use the large-holed side of a box grater to shred it. Position an oven rack 4 inches from the broiling element; heat broiler.

Drain the rice and immediately return it to the pot (off the heat). Stir in the shredded carrot and peas until well distributed; cover to keep warm.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; arrange the shrimp on it with room between them. (If you use tongs to stand some of them on their curved backs, they will reward you with a greater proportion of charred edges.) Discard any excess marinade in the bowl. Season the shrimp with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper. Broil for about 4 minutes, or just until opaque and slightly charred in spots.

Serve hot, atop the rice, along with any pan juices.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Adapted from Real Simple

Food on 02/20/2019

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