Benares Mixed Seafood Recipe - Great British Chefs

Main
medium
4
1 hour 30 minutes, plus time to prepare the shellfish

PT1H30M

This stunning mixed seafood recipe from Atul Kochhar is bursting with beautiful specimens, including gigantic prawns, razor clams, scallops, mussels and squid. The seafood is pan-fried in a beautiful kadhai gravy, first used to gently cook some fresh spring onions.

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Ingredients

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Mixed seafood

4 razor clams, scrubbed and rinsed
4 large mussels, scrubbed, debearded and rinsed
4 large scallops, hand-dived, corals removed and patted dry
4 large king prawns, heads removed, peeled and de-veined
4 baby squid, tentacles, heads and internal quill removed and the bodies scored
50g of ginger, finely chopped with 2 green chillies to make a paste
30g of butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek leaves, dried and crumbled
1 tbsp of coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 lemon
sunflower oil
salt

Kadhai gravy

3 dried red chillies
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 green chillies
1 knob of ginger, finely chopped
400g of tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp of fenugreek leaves, crumbled
1/2 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp of sunflower oil
sea salt

Masala spring onions

5 spring onions, finely chopped
1 small green chilli, chopped
1 tbsp of ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp of coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp of sunflower oil

To garnish

1 handful of samphire
4 oyster leaves
coriander cress

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Pestle and mortar

To begin, make the kadhai gravy. Pound the dried red chillies and coriander seeds together in a pestle and mortar (or spice grinder) until finely ground, then set aside

3 dried red chillies
2 tsp coriander seeds

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the garlic and sauté over a low heat until it turns a light brown colour. Add the ground spices, ginger and green chillies and sauté until the mixture starts sticking to the bottom of the pan

2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 green chillies
1 knob of ginger, finely chopped
3 tbsp of sunflower oil

Add the tomatoes and continue sautéing for about 20 minutes until the oil in the sauce rises to the surface and separates. Add the fenugreek and salt to taste, remove from the heat and sprinkle with the garam masala. The gravy you don't use will keep for up to 3 days in a covered container in the fridge

400g of tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp of fenugreek leaves, crumbled
1/2 tsp garam masala
sea salt

To make the masala spring onions, heat the oil in a saucepan, add the green chilli and ginger and sauté over a medium heat for 1 minute. Add the spring onions and sauté for 2–3 minutes until they have softened. Stir in 125ml of the kadhai gravy and simmer for 3–4 minutes until hot and combined. Adjust the seasoning if necessary

5 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp of coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 small green chilli, chopped
1 tbsp of ginger, finely chopped

Place the razor clams in a steamer and steam for 30–60 seconds or until the shells have opened. Blast chill the clams and once cool, remove the meat from the shells, pulling away and discarding the darker 'foot' from the body (you should be left with a smooth, white cylinder). Set aside

4 razor clams, rinsed

When you're ready to cook the seafood, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and add the mussels, prawns and scallops. Fry for 1 minute, stirring the seafood around gently

4 large king prawns, heads removed, peeled and de-veined
sunflower oil
4 large mussels, scrubbed, debearded and rinsed
4 large scallops, hand-dived, corals removed and patted dry

Add the squid and chopped ginger and chilli mixture. Sauté for 3 minutes, turning the seafood over regularly or until the prawns are pink and curled and the squid is opaque (remember, if any mussels don't open they must be discarded)

4 baby squid, tentacles, heads and internal quill removed and the bodies scored
50g of ginger, finely chopped with 2 green chillies to make a paste

Add the razor clams for the final 30 seconds to reheat. Add the butter, garlic, chilli flakes, coriander seeds, fenugreek leaves, masala spring onions and the samphire and baste the seafood with the juices. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add salt to taste. Stir in the chopped coriander

30g of butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek leaves, dried and crumbled
1 tbsp of coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 lemon
salt
1 handful of samphire

Distribute the seafood and spring onions between plates and garnish with oyster leaves and coriander cress

4 oyster leaves
coriander cress

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Atul Kochhar

Combining the flavours of north, east and south India with the finest British produce, Atul Kochhar was the first ever Indian chef to receive a Michelin star in 2001.