Bahraini Tomato Shrimp Stew
Chilled raw shrimp cooked directly in a reduced tomato sauce with coriander and dill.
Preparation: 25 min · Cooking: 30 min · Total: 1 hr · 4 servings
Ingredients
- 600 g raw peeled and deveined shrimp, kept chilled
- 720 g fresh plum tomatoes, finely chopped
- onions, chopped — 2
- 40 g fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp ground loomi
- 60 g concentrated tomato paste
- 20 g fresh dill, chopped
- 1.5 tbsp Bahraini Bzar spice blend
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp ghee
- garlic cloves, minced — 4
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
Instructions
Measure the tomato and shrimp master
For 4 servings measure 600 g raw shrimp, 720 g fresh tomatoes and 60 g tomato paste. At fourfold use 2400 g shrimp, 2880 g tomatoes and 240 g paste. This reduced-tomato master has no fixed extra water or broth allowance.
This reduced-tomato master has no fixed extra water or broth allowance.
Prepare herbs while shrimp stays cold
Keep peeled deveined raw shrimp refrigerated at 4°C or colder until the sauce is ready. Wash tomatoes, coriander and dill under running water, dry and chop with clean tools. Mince onion, garlic and ginger separately from raw-shrimp handling. Washing removes debris but does not sterilize herbs.
Washing removes debris but does not sterilize herbs.
Reduce the spiced tomato base
Heat 2 tbsp ghee over medium heat and sauté onion, garlic and ginger until dark golden, not burnt. Add tomatoes, 60 g paste, Bzar, turmeric, ground loomi and salt. Cook over medium heat about 12 minutes until tomatoes collapse into thick, even gravy, stirring to prevent sticking.
Cook over medium heat about 12 minutes until tomatoes collapse into thick, even gravy, stirring to prevent sticking.
Reduce the spiced tomato base: 720 seconds
Add coriander and dill
Stir in all 40 g chopped coriander and 20 g dill. Simmer gently for about 2 minutes and have the bubbling sauce ready before taking shrimp from the refrigerator.
Simmer gently for about 2 minutes and have the bubbling sauce ready before taking shrimp from the refrigerator.
Add coriander and dill: 120 seconds
Cook shrimp directly in bubbling sauce
Add the cold raw shrimp directly to bubbling tomato sauce without spray-rinsing. Stir gently to coat, then simmer uncovered over medium-low heat about 7–8 minutes. Keep cooking continuously and begin checking the largest shrimp rather than treating that time as exact.
Keep cooking continuously and begin checking the largest shrimp rather than treating that time as exact.
Cook shrimp directly in bubbling sauce: 420 seconds
Verify shrimp centres
Probe the centres of several large shrimp with a clean thermometer to the owner-selected 63°C target; flesh must be pearly white and opaque throughout. Continue cooking as needed. Do not rely only on colour or on the timer.
Do not rely only on colour or on the timer.
Serve hot with clean tools
Serve the fully cooked stew promptly with clean tools. Keep any optional separately cooked rice under the same 24-hour leftover limit if served or stored with the seafood; it is not a required unlisted ingredient.
Keep any optional separately cooked rice under the same 24-hour leftover limit if served or stored with the seafood; it is not a required unlisted ingredient.
Cool and use within 24 hours
Promptly divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 1 hour at 4°C or colder. Do not wait for a deep pot to cool to room temperature. Use within 24 hours. These are conservative owner-selected household limits, not validated shelf life.
These are conservative owner-selected household limits, not validated shelf life.
Tips
- Amounts and divided allowances in the instructions describe the base batch. Scale them with the ingredients, not the timer durations. Use appropriately sized pots or several comparable batches for a larger yield.
Common mistakes
- Do not use a timer, colour or aroma alone as proof of readiness; follow the stated texture and temperature checks.
Substitutions
- Use the measured fresh-tomato and paste quantities rather than inventing extra broth or water. Shrimp is a shellfish allergen and ghee contains milk. Any rice accompaniment is optional and cooked separately.
Storage
Promptly divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 1 hour at 4°C or colder. Do not wait for a deep pot to cool to room temperature. Use within 24 hours. These are conservative owner-selected household limits, not validated shelf life.
Reheating
Reheat at most once to 74°C throughout, checking several centres including rice, bread or pastry where present. Reheating does not repair unsafe storage.
About this recipe
This Bahraini shrimp stew combines reduced tomatoes, Bzar, loomi and fresh herbs. Raw shrimp is added only when the sauce is ready, without an unverified claim about a specific village of origin.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.