Persian Rice and Shrimp
This Persian rice and shrimp dish is quick and simple. Perfect for weeknights, you can prepare this shrimp and rice meal in 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Child-Friendly Knife as needed
- Box Grater or Microplane
- Learning Tower as needed
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt preferably Diamond Crystal
- 2 yellow onions medium, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 lb large shrimp peeled, deveined, and patted dry
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric ground
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- lemon wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Weigh the basmati rice: Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a bowl and digital scale to measure the basmati rice needed for this shrimp and rice dish.
- Wash the rice: Transfer the rice to a fine-mesh strainer. Place the strainer over a bowl that's been placed in the sink. Turn the sink on and allow cool water to fill the bowl, covering the rice. Turn off the water and use your hand to stir the rice around. The water will become cloudy. Pick up the strainer and empty the bowl. Continue the process of filling the bowl and stirring the rice until the water is no longer cloudy. The number of times depends on the rice. When finished, pick up the strainer and shake off any excess water.
- Soak the rice: Place the strainer back over the empty bowl and fill with cool water. Let the rice soak for 30 minutes. When finished, drain the rice and transfer it to a large Dutch oven or pot.
- Cook the rice: Use a measuring cup to add the water to the Dutch oven with rice. Add half of the oil and some salt using measuring spoons. While the rice is cooking, you can chop your onions, garlic, and cilantro. When the rice is finished, turn off the burner and set the rice aside to rest for 5 minutes. Keep the lid on while it rests.
- Sauté the onions: Heat the rest of the oil in a saucier or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions to the pan and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they're golden brown.
- Sauté the shrimp: Add the garlic to the pan and stir until it's fragrant. In other words, your kitchen smells like garlic and onion goodness after about 30 seconds. Grate the ginger over the pan or into a bowl. Stir in the ginger. Wash your hands before and after handling the shrimp. Add the shrimp to the pan and sauté until they begin to turn pink. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Create a ring around the pan with the shrimp. Add the tomato paste, turmeric, salt, and cayenne to the center of the pan. Stir the ingredients while scraping the bottom of the pan. The tomato paste should be sizzling.
- Add the cilantro and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the shrimp are just firm. Add the lemon juice and stir. Turn off the stove.
- Lightly fluff the rice using a fork. It will be perfectly cooked and waiting for you to pile on the shrimp.
- Transfer the rice to a large serving bowl or platter. Spoon the shrimp over the top. Garnish with lemon wedges or drizzle some lemon juice over the whole thing. If you leave your shrimp tails on, make sure kids are aware they should remove them while eating. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 120 °F
- Shrimp should be tightly covered and refrigerated within 2 hours after cooking.
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
- Full Recipe Info and Pictures at: https://happyhomeschooladventures.com/persian-rice
Nutrition
Calories: 231kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 13gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 443mgPotassium: 217mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 233IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 1mg
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
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