If you’ve never had Egyptian cuisine, you can try one or more of these simple, under-an-hour recipes. Ancient Egyptians relied on seafood and harvest, and so, they’ve refined their recipes through the ages. Through generations, they’ve skillfully brought out the particular aromas and flavors of local spices in all of their dishes.
Prawns happen to be one of their favorite ingredients! They notably like leaving the shell on during the cooking process, so they can enjoy peeling and eating them with their hands surrounded by family and friends on a warm afternoon.
Here are four of their prawns recipes:
Gambari Makri bi-Roz (Spiced Prawns)
Egyptian rice has a unique flavor and texture that you’ll come to enjoy. It’s firmer than most other rices around the world and has a simple, but different taste to it. Combine that with prawns with a unique Egyptian spice flavor and you’ve got a new exotic superfood dish to prepare for your friends and family!
Finely chop two medium yellow onions, five tablespoons of parsley, and one clove of garlic. Juice one lemon.
Peel and devein a pound of prawns.
Make the Egyptian rice: Soak two cups of rice in water with a little salt for 30 minutes. Then drain the rice and keep on rinsing it until the rinse water is clear.
Heat a saucepan using medium heat and add two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Throw in half a cup of vermicelli and cook until golden brown. Throw in the rice and stir well. Wait until the rice changes color, then add two cups of water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes with the cover on. Then, turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for another 10 minutes.
In a bag, pour in half a teaspoon of salt, cumin, and black pepper. Throw in half a cup of flour. Coat the prawns in this mixture.
Warm two tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan using medium heat. Sautee onions and garlic until they become see-through. Stir in the prawns until they turn pink on all sides.
Next, add three-fourths cups of vegetable stock. Lower heat to low and Let the whole thing simmer and cook until it has evaporated to half volume. Then, remove from the stove and add the lemon juice.
Place the rice on the serving plate or bowl then top with the prawns mix. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve and enjoy!
Full recipe here.
Sayadieh (Prawns Pot)
This dish is like a light prawns gumbo from Egypt! It uses sour juices and just the right kind of spices prepared in the right way to make a rice broth dish that tastes quite exotic.
Soak two cups of brown basmati rice for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse until the rinse water becomes clear.
Cut two onions into rings. Peel and devein 2.2 pounds of prawns.
In a small bowl, mix in half a teaspoon of caraway powder and half a tablespoon of each: cumin powder, cinnamon powder, sweet pepper, and The 7 Spices brand spice.
Coat your prawns in this mix very well. Pour a tablespoon of grapeseed oil onto a deep skillet and heat using medium-high heat. Throw in the prawns and cook until they turn pink, then remove and set aside. Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet and onions and stir such that the onions absorb the prawns’ flavor. Add a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of the spice mix you used for coating the prawns.
Continue to cook the onions for about fifteen more minutes until they’re caramelized. Now, set aside two tablespoons of the onions from the skillet. Throw in the rice and mix well with the onions. After two minutes, add four cups of fish broth. Throw in the rest of your spice mix and bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to keep everything simmering. Cover for fifteen minutes.
Turn off the heat, then leave covered for five minutes. Finally, uncover and squeeze lime or lemon over your Egyptian sayadieh to taste. Use a fork to fluff the rice, then top it with your prawns and reserved onions. You can also add some lemon slices!
Serve and enjoy.
Full recipe here.
Alexandrian Prawns
In Egyptian, this dish is named, “Gambari Iskandarani.” It’s an ancient finger food that goes all the way back to the BC era! It leaves the shells on because the chitin protects the shrimp from becoming anything but soft, tender, and juicy while cooking. The buttery mixture of this dish soaks in so many spices and herbs – the signature flavor of Alexandria.
Mince five cloves of garlic. Slice up a yellow onion. Preheat your oven’s broil to 425 degrees.
Soak 2.2 pounds of prawns in a solution of cleaning vinegar and water for 15 minutes. Rinse it with tap water, then set it on a colander to remove excess water.
Place a saucepan on your stovetop at medium-low heat. Melt half a cup of unsalted butter on it, then throw in the garlic and a teaspoon of each: cilantro spice, smoked/sweet paprika, cumin, oregano spice, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. When the mixture starts giving off aromas, turn off the heat.
If the prawns are still wet, you can pat them dry with a paper tower, then place them on your baking plate or tray. Drizzle the buttery mixture onto the prawns, making sure to coat all of them well – you can use a spatula with holes to make this easier. Garnish the prawns with five whole garlic cloves, five bay leaves, the yellow onions and lemon wedges.
Place it into the oven for about half an hour or until the prawns turn pink, then remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil for about five minutes to seal and spread the aromas and flavors.
Serve and enjoy!
Full recipe here.
Spiced Prawns Over Hot Rice
This is a simple prawns and rice recipe. It has that signature Egyptian flavor as it uses garlic, ginger, cumin, and paprika to create a simple, exotic flare to your prawns.
Cook two cups of rice. Keep the rice in the rice cooker to keep warm until you’re done preparing your prawns.
Crush three garlic cloves. Chop two tablespoons of fresh coriander.
Grate one teaspoon of ginger. Devein and peel 1.5 pounds of prawns. Warm three tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan using medium heat. Sautee the garlic for about three minutes. Add the ginger, one teaspoon of ground cumin, and one teaspoon of paprika. Mix until uniform.
Throw in the prawns and stir well. Throw in half a teaspoon of sea salt and the coriander. Stir for about five minutes or until the prawns turn pink.
Portion an appropriate amount of rice onto your serving plate. Pour your prawns mixture over your hot rice! Serve and enjoy.
Full recipe here.
Don’t let summer end without trying out one of these exotic Egyptian superfood recipes! It’s mostly warm and hot in Egypt, and these prawns dishes complement the current season!