Indian food in this country dates back further than most individuals would possibly have an idea. We can be forgiven for walking down almost any street in Britain and taking the sight of an Indian restaurant or takeaway for granted.

Who would have considered that Indian food would have had an assoication with this country for nearly 400 years? It is not just in this country that it has changed radically, but also in its native area.

Indian settlers first begun arriving in England in the seventeenth century, after merchants had begun trading in the indian town of Surat. This new company called itself the East India Company, and offered employment to lascars or local sailors to work as crewmembers. The population of the lascars grew steadily during this period, although they often struggled to avoid living in poverty.

As the influence of the British grew in India, so did the interest in Indian food in England. This marked the first published recipes, and the introduction curry powder towards the late eighteenth century.

In modern times there were three main reasons for the growth of the Indian restaurant in this country. The first reason was the general increase in the personal wealth of most people. The second reason can be attributed to the cosmopolitan nature of the people, and the third was the Tandoor.

The Middle East was the birth place of the Tandoor, which came from the Babylonian word ‘timuru’ which meant fire. After its introduction into this country in the sixties, it oversaw the birth of the classic ‘chicken tandoori’ and assimilation into the culture of the nation. This has now become a timeless favourite in all Indian takeaways throughout the land.

Because of the success of Indian entrepreneurs, the Indian food sector is seen as one of the fastest growing in the UK. The popularity of both Indian restaurants and take away food has ensured that it will be an English institution for many years to come!

I adore shrimp! I like eggs! I begged and pleaded, don’t take them away from me. All these years the nutritive pros have been enlightening us they’re high in cholesterol and if you eat these 2 foods you’ll be caring attack! Now, well conducted studies show that low-fat shrimp and eggs, substituted for fatty foods, don’t raise blood cholesterol and are not a major contributor to coronary disease. A study broadcast in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition announces notwithstanding all that cholesterol, shrimp is perfectly good for you.

This is no longer a health concern, because shrimp is low-fat with a rich content of highly unsaturated fatty acids, which lead to the formation of high-density lipids, frequently known as “good cholesterol”. Consuming shrimp may actually lower blood cholesterol levels.

So, here’s a great shrimp dish I make quite regularly. The first recipe came out of an old Weight Watcher Cookbook, but as always (something I learned from my Gramps ) I customarily chuck in a few extras to make it taste better and substitute some ingredients, but it’s still healthy cooking. I lost 40 lbs. on these recipes even with additions. Here’s a tip I want to pass on about fish. I always soak it in milk before cooking ; it seems to take away any bad fishy taste.

Shrimp in Spicy Mustard Sauce

12 oz. Shrimp, peeled, deveined
2/3 cup fat free ½ & ½, or substitute evaporated skim, regular skim or low-fat milk or soy milk
2 spoons Dijon Mustard
½ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon black black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
small spoon chicken bullion powder or one cube
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
Parsley
Parmesan Cheese ( optional )

1. Shell & devein shrimp and set aside.

2. In 1-cup liquid measure combine milk, mustard and seasonings, put aside (if you are using milk instead of the fat free ½ & ½ , mix some of the milk with a tablespoon of cornstarch and add to sauce at end to thicken.)

3. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add shrimp, onion and garlic, stir constantly until shrimp just turns pink, two to 3 minutes.

4. Pour milk mixture into pan and cook, stirring consistently, till mix comes to boiling point. Reduce heat to low, ( add cornstarch mixture if using ) let boil till a touch thickened, one or 2 minutes.

5. Employing a slotted spoon, remove shrimp to serving platter; set aside.

6. Increase heat to medium-high; continue cooking sauce until mixture is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over shrimp and sprinkle with parsley and parmesan.

Makes 2 servings

This is great served over noodles or rice. Hope you enjoy your shrimp!

For more easy to make recipes, visit cooking101.org and also read about easy egg recipes.