Persian Shrimp Stew Recipe
Ghalieh Meygoo is one of the most delicious dishes from southern Iran, a seafood stew that is part of the traditional and authentic cuisine of the southern region. This dish, popular as a festive meal, is served at special occasions and gatherings in southern cities. It is made using shrimp, tamarind, aromatic herbs, and special southern spices, giving it a unique tangy and spicy flavor.
This Ghalieh Meygoo recipe is a bit different from the others. I learned this recipe from my good friend, Parisa. With this recipe, you can cook a delicious and aromatic Ghalieh Meygoo that will amaze everyone. I hope you try making this dish and enjoy its unique taste and fragrance.
How To Make Ghalieh Meygoo
Sauté the onion until golden, then add the garlic and spices, and sauté briefly. Chop the herbs and sauté them with a little oil until their aroma is released. Dissolve the tamarind in hot water, strain it, and add it to the mixture. Add the shrimp and cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes until the flavors meld.
Ghalieh Meygoo Recipe
Ghalieh Meygoo is one of the delicious dishes from the south, prepared in various ways. The natural sweetness of the shrimp, combined with the delightful tanginess of tamarind and the unique aroma of coriander and fenugreek, can be felt in every bite.
Ingredients
500g shrimp
1 large onion
1 whole bulb garlic (chopped or mashed)
50g fenugreek
250g coriander
3 tomatoes
1 cup tamarind extract
Salt, curry powder, red pepper, and black pepper
Directions
- Prepare the Shrimp
In the first step, if you’re using frozen shrimp, remove them from the freezer in advance to allow the ice to melt. If you’re using fresh shrimp, peel them and remove the vein along the back. - Prepare the Ghalieh Herbs
The herb mix for Ghalieh Meygoo is the same as the one used in Ghalieh Mahi. Clean and wash the fenugreek and coriander. After the herbs lose their moisture, fry them. If you’re using dried herbs, use half the amount mentioned in the recipe. You can also soak the dried herbs and then drain them. - Prepare the Tamarind
Mix about 3 to 4 tablespoons of tamarind with some boiling water, stir with a spoon, and strain it to extract the juice. - Fry the Ghalieh Ingredients
In this step, peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and grate the garlic. In a pan, add some oil and fry the onions until they turn golden. Then, add the fenugreek and coriander. Sauté the herbs with the onions for a few minutes until the color of the herbs changes. Add the grated garlic, turmeric, salt, black pepper, and red pepper, and stir until the garlic releases its aroma. - Add Tomatoes and Tamarind Extract to the Ghalieh Meygoo
Puree the tomatoes using a chopper and add them along with the curry powder to the Ghalieh mixture. Stir in half of the tamarind extract and sauté the ingredients. After a few minutes, add the remaining tamarind extract and sauté again. Finally, add 2 cups of hot water to allow the herbs to cook thoroughly. - Adding the shrimp to the stew
Add the shrimp to the ingredients of the stew, reduce the heat, and cover the pot. After about a minute, add a cup of boiling water. The shrimp cook quickly, and the dish will be ready in about 15 minutes. The shrimp stew is best served thick. Serve this stew with rice.
Important Tips for Cooking Ghalieh Meygoo
- If you want your Ghalieh Meygoo to have a rich color, make sure to fry the herbs well. However, there are two important points to keep in mind: If you fry the herbs too much, their beneficial properties will be lost, and over-frying will make the dish taste bitter.
- Note that the shrimp should be added towards the end of cooking, after the stew has thickened. If added at the beginning, the shrimp will become tough.
- To make the stew more flavorful, chop the fresh coriander and fenugreek leaves finely. Dried herbs reduce the taste and aroma of the stew. Also, avoid using too much fenugreek in the dish.
- Fry the vegetables and onions thoroughly in oil to release their aroma and enrich the final flavor of the stew. This step will also give the stew sauce a better consistency. Additionally, chop the onions finely so that they don’t remain noticeable when eating.
- You can use tomato paste instead of fresh tomatoes. In this case, fry the paste separately and then add it to the shrimp stew.
