Piquant Shrimp (Gambas)
Filipino Piquant Shrimp, regionally called the 'Gambas', is one of the most popular sea foods from the Philippines.
These delicious shrimps are cooked with Spanish tomato sauce and traditionally served with rice.
They are very easy to prepare at home and must be tried by all the sea food lovers.
Here is a simple recipe to prepare mouth-watering Gambas at your home: Makes/Servings: 3-4 Ingredients for Gambas: •Shrimps: 1 pound; medium-sized •Garlic: 5 cloves; finely minced •Olive Oil: ¼ cup •Lemon Juice: ½ tablespoon •White Wine: ½ cup •Hot Chili Sauce: 1 tablespoon •Bread Crumbs: ½ cup or 2 tablespoons •Green Olives: 4-5; for garnishing (optional) •Spanish Tomato Sauce (Salsa de Tomates): 3 tablespoons Ingredients for Spanish Tomato Sauce: •Olive oil: 3 tablespoons •Onions: 2 large-sized; finely diced •Garlic: 2 cloves, finely minced • red peppers: 2 pcs.
; cored, seeded and chopped into small pieces •Tomatoes (about 14 ounces/400 g): 1 can; chopped into small pieces (do not drain) •Fresh parsley: 2 tablespoons; finely chopped •Fresh thyme: 1 tablespoon, chopped •Salt and freshly ground black pepper/peppercorns to taste •Fino (dry) sherry: 1 tablespoon Method of Cooking: 1)Prepare the Spanish Tomato Sauce using the following recipe: -Heat a little olive oil in a pan and sauté the diced onion over medium flame for nearly 10 minutes, until they become brown and transparent.
-Add the finely minced garlic to the saucepan and continue to stir for 1 minute.
Add the crushed peppercorns (1 teaspoon) to the onion-garlic mixture.
Cover the pan and simmer for another 15 minutes.
-Lower the heat and add the undrained canned tomatoes (with the liquid), thyme, parsley, and salt to taste.
Mix well.
Cover the pan again and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
-Mash the mixture well in the pan using a food mill or a blender to reduce the mixture to a thick puree.
-Add sherry and adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
Please note: The sauce, thus prepared, can be either used immediately or stored in a sealed, refrigerated jar for up to 2 weeks.
2)Once the sauce is prepared, keep it aside.
Shell and devein the shrimps and set aside.
3)Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onion and garlic until they become brown and transparent.
4)Next, add lemon juice, white wine, and hot chili sauce to the pan and mix well.
5)Add shrimps and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
6)Pour 3 tablespoons of the Spanish tomato sauce prepared in the first step on the shrimps and cook for another 1 minute.
7)Add bread crumbs to the boiling mixture to thicken the sauce.
Adjust seasonings if required.
8)Once cooked, empty the Gambas into a serving platter.
Garnish with green olives and serve hot with steamed rice.
These delicious shrimps are cooked with Spanish tomato sauce and traditionally served with rice.
They are very easy to prepare at home and must be tried by all the sea food lovers.
Here is a simple recipe to prepare mouth-watering Gambas at your home: Makes/Servings: 3-4 Ingredients for Gambas: •Shrimps: 1 pound; medium-sized •Garlic: 5 cloves; finely minced •Olive Oil: ¼ cup •Lemon Juice: ½ tablespoon •White Wine: ½ cup •Hot Chili Sauce: 1 tablespoon •Bread Crumbs: ½ cup or 2 tablespoons •Green Olives: 4-5; for garnishing (optional) •Spanish Tomato Sauce (Salsa de Tomates): 3 tablespoons Ingredients for Spanish Tomato Sauce: •Olive oil: 3 tablespoons •Onions: 2 large-sized; finely diced •Garlic: 2 cloves, finely minced • red peppers: 2 pcs.
; cored, seeded and chopped into small pieces •Tomatoes (about 14 ounces/400 g): 1 can; chopped into small pieces (do not drain) •Fresh parsley: 2 tablespoons; finely chopped •Fresh thyme: 1 tablespoon, chopped •Salt and freshly ground black pepper/peppercorns to taste •Fino (dry) sherry: 1 tablespoon Method of Cooking: 1)Prepare the Spanish Tomato Sauce using the following recipe: -Heat a little olive oil in a pan and sauté the diced onion over medium flame for nearly 10 minutes, until they become brown and transparent.
-Add the finely minced garlic to the saucepan and continue to stir for 1 minute.
Add the crushed peppercorns (1 teaspoon) to the onion-garlic mixture.
Cover the pan and simmer for another 15 minutes.
-Lower the heat and add the undrained canned tomatoes (with the liquid), thyme, parsley, and salt to taste.
Mix well.
Cover the pan again and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
-Mash the mixture well in the pan using a food mill or a blender to reduce the mixture to a thick puree.
-Add sherry and adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
Please note: The sauce, thus prepared, can be either used immediately or stored in a sealed, refrigerated jar for up to 2 weeks.
2)Once the sauce is prepared, keep it aside.
Shell and devein the shrimps and set aside.
3)Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onion and garlic until they become brown and transparent.
4)Next, add lemon juice, white wine, and hot chili sauce to the pan and mix well.
5)Add shrimps and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
6)Pour 3 tablespoons of the Spanish tomato sauce prepared in the first step on the shrimps and cook for another 1 minute.
7)Add bread crumbs to the boiling mixture to thicken the sauce.
Adjust seasonings if required.
8)Once cooked, empty the Gambas into a serving platter.
Garnish with green olives and serve hot with steamed rice.
