Putting together a healthy gourmet dinner doesn’t have to take all day. However coaxing complex flavors out of a dish in a short amount of time can be a challenge.

Curries are a great way to pack a dish with fantastic flavors and it can be prepared in a short amount of time if you choose the right blend and method for preparation. Stir frying curry is a fast-moving process that requires timing. The key is to have all of your ingredients measured and ready to go.

Personal preference goes a long way in regards to spiciness and intensity of flavor. Feel free to add more chili flakes or some ground cumin if you like to walk on the wild side. If you aren’t into the spice you can omit the chili flakes and reduce the amount of garam masala spice by a half tablespoon or so. If you don’t like seafood you can replace it with more vegetables and even tofu for a delicious vegan option.

Stay cool!

Curry Seafood Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 pounds large shrimp, peeled and cleaned

1/2 pound salmon, cut in 1 inch cubes

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and rough-chopped

1/2 yellow onion, sliced 1/4 inch

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 1/2 cup coconut milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seed

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt to taste

Slurry

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

Directions:

Dissolve corn starch into the water in an container.

In a mixing bowl whisk together coconut milk, sugar, a pinch of salt, tomato paste, garam masala and lime juice. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat, then add mustard seeds. Cook mustard seeds for about 10 seconds and add garlic and cook until the garlic starts to brown. Add onions and cook until slightly softened. Add shrimp and stir cook until they start to take on color or appear translucent. Add salmon, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, and sauce bring to a hard simmer and cook for about two minutes until the seafood is almost cooked through. Add slurry and cook until the sauce is thickened slightly. Remove from heat and season with salt to taste

Serve hot with rice (recipe follows) on the side and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Saffron Basmati Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati Rice

3 cups broth (chicken, vegetable, or seafood)

1 pinch saffron threads soaked in 2 tablespoons hot water for 10 minutes

1 tsp salt

2 T olive oil

1 cup diced onions

Directions:

Wash and drain the rice. In 4-qt pot, heat with olive oil over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add onions and fry for 3 minutes, until softened and light brown. Stir in rice, broth, saffron + soaking water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, immediately cover and turn to low heat. Let the rice cook on low heat, undisturbed (no peeking!) for 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Let sit for another 5 minutes covered to finish steaming. Use a fork to fluff up the rice.

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Love seafood? Check out these events:

Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11 I San Francisco Coastal Fishing/Foraging Tour With Kirk Lombard – San Francisco, California   Get fishy with former Dept. of Fish and Game fisheries observer, raconteur, tubist, monkeyface eel champion, blogger and street performer Kirk Lombard on an inter-tidal, low tide fishing trip along San Francisco’s bayfront shoreline. Learn the basics of how to “poke pole” for the flavorful monkeyface eel, how to catch rock crabs and throw a “Hawaiian casting net.” Discover the best local mussel beds, and how to be sure you aren’t eating risky ones! Also: where to find stands of edible sea weeds, the advantages of eating local forage fishes and what’s in season when.

Sunday, August 18 I Good Ol’ Fashioned Chebeague Island Lobster Bake – Chebeague Island, Maine   Family fun, seaside food and drink and live music. The Good Ol’ Fashioned Chebeague Island Lobster Bake happens at Rose’s Point Beach on Great Chebeague. Menu includes lobster with side dishes, kid-friendly pizza and all meals include beverages and dessert. There will also be environmental education, a raffle, kids activities and more! All proceeds to benefit Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust. Come one. Come all!

Sunday, August 18 I French Quarter Crawfish Boil – North Hollywood, California   Its The Other Door’s monthly New Orleans crawfish boil, with all the fixins, refreshing craft beer, and exquisite classic cocktails! Supplies are limited, but crawfish will be reserved for ticketholders – so if you want to be sure to get your share of the succulent critters, GET YOUR TICKET NOW! For that matter, gift some tickets to your friends and they will LOVE YOU FOREVER.

Thursday, August 22 I 2013 Norwalk Seaport Association Clambake – Norwalk, Connecticut   Every summer, the Seaport Ferry in South Norwalk carries hundreds of hungry passengers to the historic 1868 Sheffield Island Lighthouse for the Norwalk Seaport Association’s famous Thursday Clambakes. A true New England dining experience, the evening allows participants to dine in the festive tented pavilion on the lighthouse lawn, with tours of the lighthouse itself included in the cost.