I recently received an email from a mom who wanted a few well-balanced meal ideas that would cook in 30 minutes or less - exactly like this Shrimp Sambal. When it comes to prepping and planning our weeknight dinners, here's the guide I follow - pick a veggie, a protein and a carb. Then follow tried and tested family favourite recipes, that you can cook with one hand tied behind your back and you will never fail at putting a delicious meal on the table.
Our weeknight dinners are, for the most part, simple, quick meals. For our protein, I generally opt for a quick curry style wherein I know that after the initial 8-10 minutes of chopping, sautéing and seasoning, I can then leave it to simmer and trust that the dish will come together with no more babysitting on my part. Veggies are great roasted or as a quick stir-fry, or just chopped and thrown into a salad. Top this with some rice, bread or any other grain of choice and you're done! Here are a few meal combinations that I often fall back on, that come together with minimal effort and time:
Meal Option A:
- Dahiwali Chicken Curry
- Alu Palak
- Rice
Meal Option B:
- Roast Veggie Pesto Pasta
- Salad
- Garlic Bread
Meal Option C:
- Egg Curry
- Mushroom & Peas Pulao
- Salad / Raita
Meal Option D:
- Tadka Dal
- Matar Paneer
- Rotis / Rice
Meal Option E:
- Chana Masala
- Jeera Pulao
- Salad
Meal Option F:
- Chilli Tofu
- Nasi Goreng
If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram (and if you're not, then what are you waiting for?), you'll know that I often post pics of what we eat for dinner. You'll also notice that at least once every 7-10 days, our dinner includes some form of Sambal (mostly egg or shrimp), stir-fried veggies and rice. And the sole reason for this is because it is one of Baby Dear's favourite meals. What can I can say, the kid loves robust flavours.
SHRIMP SAMBAL
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon light cooking oil
- 2-3 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 large onion finely sliced
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
- 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
- salt to taste
- 15-20 medium-sized shrimp peeled and deveined
- chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large non-stick pan and sauté garlic and onions till soft and lightly browned. Add in spices and fry for a few seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste and tamarind concentrate, and fry for a few seconds to mix well with the spices and onions. Throw in chopped tomatoes, season with salt and cook covered till tomatoes start to soften and pulp.
- Slowly add in the shrimp, and stir-fry with the tomato mixture to coat. Cook covered for a few minutes till shrimp is cooked through, garnish and serve warm.
Tried this recipe? Leave a Comment and let me know, also Rate it by clicking the number of stars on the recipe card. Want to share your version with me? Tag me on Instagram @hookedonheat
b2b says
i tried this dish , it was amazing! 🙂
Michelle says
This looks fab! Such great meal ideas.
Julie Dyer says
Your recipe looks so, so good! I want to cook something special for my hubby's birthday -- maybe shrimp sambal will be it!
Alexis Abel says
I love this idea and this recipe looks amazing! Definitely pinning and bookmarking this to make soon!
Carrie says
This looks delicious! I love tamarind. Your list of meals is fantastic as well, will make a note - definitely need more weeknight meals in my repertoire.
Alyssa says
This was amazing. I made it for dinner last night with some rice, and we all licked our plates clean!
Krissy Allori {self proclaimed foodie} says
Oh wow, that looks delish! Can't wait to try.
Robin says
This looks amazing, I love all of the meal options.
Rasa @ This Fox Cooks says
This looks delicious! I'm completely addicted to tamarind and this looks like the perfect balance of flavours. Totally trying this - thanks!