Gourmet Seafood Spread: Try These Easy Chef-Special Recipes

Making a gourmet spread at home has never been easier. With the readily available ingredients, fresh seafood, and chef-specific recipes, you can easily make a restaurant-like spread right in your kitchen. Whether you’re planning to host a high tea, inviting in your favourite guests, or simply want to make the most of your weekend, this is your sign to ditch the plain old fish fry and try something new.

Specially curated by Ram Bahadur Budhathoki, the Head Chef at Chowman Chain of Restaurants, this list has some of the best seafood recipes. You can choose from shrimp, prawns, lobster, or make an elaborate grazing board with these easy-to-follow recipes. So, what are you waiting for? Get the freshest produce, pick up the ingredients, and get ready to impress.

Also Read: Confused About Imitation Crab? Here's How To Use It In Seafood Recipes

Crispy Seafood Roll With Sriracha Mayo

Ingredients:

•  Shrimp - 8 pieces (cleaned and deveined)
•  Crab meat - 3 tablespoons
•  Squid - 4 tablespoons (thinly sliced)
•  Red capsicum - 1 tablespoon (finely chopped)
•  Yellow capsicum - 1 tablespoon (finely chopped)
•  Green capsicum - 1 tablespoon (finely chopped)
•  Baby corn - 1 tablespoon (finely chopped)
•  Carrot - ½ tablespoon (grated)
•  Onion - 1 tablespoon (finely chopped)
•  Garlic - 1 teaspoon (minced)
•  Oil - 2½ tablespoons
•  Salt - ½ teaspoon (or to taste)
•  Sugar - ¼ teaspoon
•  White pepper - a pinch
•  Chilli paste - 1 teaspoon
•  Tomat-sauce - 1 teaspoon
•  Light soya sauce - ½ teaspoon
• Oyster sauce - ½ teaspoon
•  Sesame oil - ¼ teaspoon
•  Roll sheets (spring roll wrapper) - 2 sheets
•  Egg - 1 (beaten, for sealing)
•  Bread crumbs - 2 tablespoons
•  Sriracha mayo 2½ tablespoons

Method:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok.
2. Add garlic and sauté till fragrant.
3. Toss in shrimp, squid, crab meat and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add all vegetables and stir-fry on high flame for another 2 minutes.
5. Season with salt, sugar, white pepper, chilli paste, tomato sauce, soya sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well and let it cool.
6. Place the cooled filling on the roll sheet.
7. Roll tightly, sealing edges with egg wash.
8. Coat the rolls lightly with bread crumbs.
9. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and deep fry the rolls until golden and crispy.
10. Cut diagonally and serve hot with mayonnaise on the side.

Stir-Fried Thai Basil King Prawns

Ingredients:

• Bagda (Tiger) prawns - 6 pieces (medium-sized, cleaned and deveined)
• Corn flour - 1½ tablespoons
• All-purpose flour - 1 tablespoon
• Egg - ½ egg (beat one egg and use half)
• Chilli oil - 1 teaspoon
• Cooking oil - 2½ tablespoons
• Garlic - 3 cloves (finely chopped)
• Thai chilli sauce - 2 tablespoons
• Chilli paste - 1 tablespoon
• Tomato sauce - 1 tablespoon
• Salt - ½ teaspoon
• Sugar - ¼ teaspoon
• Potato starch - ¼ teaspoon
• Lemon juice - from ½ lemon
• Fried basil leaves - 4-5 leaves (for garnish)

Method:

1. Clean and devein the bagda prawns and pat them dry.
2. Mix corn flour, all-purpose flour and half an egg to form a smooth batter.
3. Coat the prawns with this batter and set aside for 5 minutes.
4. Heat ½ tablespoon cooking oil and flash fry the basil leaves for 5-10 seconds until crisp; remove and keep aside for garnish.
5. In the same wok, heat the remaining cooking oil and shallow fry the coated prawns for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through; remove and keep aside.
6. Add chilli oil to the wok, followed by finely chopped garlic, and sauté until fragrant
7. Stir in chilli paste, tomato sauce, Thai chilli sauce, salt, sugar, and mix well to create a rich sauce.
8. Bring the fried prawns to the wok and toss to coat them evenly in the sauce.
9. Add lemon juice and a slurry made from potato starch mixed with one tablespoon of water to give the sauce a light glaze.
10. Serve the prawns hot, garnished with the fried basil leaves.

Pepper Garlic Lobster

Ingredients (Serves 1-2):

• Lobster - 1 (about 250g)
• Cornflour - 2 tablespoons
• All-purpose flour - 1 tablespoon
• Chilli oil - ½ teaspoon
• Refined oil - 4 tablespoons
• Onion (chopped) - 2 tablespoons
• Garlic (minced) - 2 teaspoons
• Celery (finely chopped) - 1 teaspoon
• Red capsicum (sliced) - 2 tablespoons
• Green capsicum (sliced) - 2 tablespoons
• Onion (diced) - 2 tablespoons
• Red chilli paste - 1 tablespoon
• Tomat-sauce - 2 tablespoons
• Oyster sauce - 1 teaspoon
• Dark soy sauce - ½ teaspoon
• Salt as per taste
• Sugar - ¼ teaspoon
• Black pepper (crushed) - ½ teaspoon
• White wine - ½ teaspoon
• Butter - 2 teaspoons
• Spring onion (chopped) - 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Clean the lobster and blanch.
2. Cut it into manageable chunks by extracting the meat. However, keep the full shell intact for later plating purposes.
3. Coat the lobster pieces in cornflour and all-purpose flour. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a deep pan or wok. Fry the coated lobster on medium-high heat till golden and crisp. Drain and keep aside.
5. In a fresh pan or wok,oneheat 1 tablespoon oil with chilli oil. Add chopped onion, minced garlic, and celery. 
6. Sauté on high flame for 30 seconds until aromatic. Toss in red and green capsicum along with diced onions. Stir-fry on high flame for 1-2 minutes.
7. Add chilli paste, tomato sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and crushed black pepper to sauté. Splash in the wine and let the sauce bubble for a minute.
8. Add the fried lobster into the wok. Mix well to coat evenly. Add a dollop of butter and toss on a high flame for that rich finish.
9. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and serve piping hot.