It is Monday night and I am just about to type my post that I meant to post last Friday. Where did my weekend go? I am increasingly feeling that a 2 day weekend is not sufficient. Especially when the weather is so great outside. When you have so much to do! Soccer games to watch, recitals to attend, graduation parties to go to and plants to tend to! Of course, the usual chores are waiting for you as well – the laundry, the grocery shopping etc etc. …the list never ends. I need a 3 day weekend – yes that’s what I need! And then I need a long vacation. And then I want to retire! Now wouldn’t that be nice? I could blog all day and night long! Anyways back to reality and back to this post….Because of my busy work schedule, I am always looking for easy dinner options for our crazy weeknights. One option that is our family favorite and staple is dal (lentil soup), rice and pan fried fish. Start by getting the rice( parboiled) cooking in a huge pot of boiling water. Drain reserving the stock which is called konjee – my husband’s favorite drink in the world! The konjee is best when you use parboiled rice. Once in a while when there is no fish available in my freezer, then I pull out my secret ingredient from the pantry – dried shrimp! I know some of you will find this gross but those of us who have eaten dried shrimp before will know how tasty it can be. In kerala it is common especially in the coastal areas where shrimp is in abundance to get ‘dried shrimp’. I am not very familiar with the process of making dried shrimp but I believe it involves drying the shrimp in the sun for several hours each day for several days. In the US, you can find dried shrimp in Chinese/Asian supermarkets. Dried Shrimp can be just pan fried with some red chili powder and salt and coconut oil. However I love it best as dry chutney powder – by mixing it with grated coconut and dry red chillies! Oh so yum! Just give me dal, rice and this chutney any day and I am a happy girl! 🙂 My husband just loves to have this chutney as a condiment with his rice konjee. This chutney is indeed so tasty that just a tiny bit of it goes a long way! My dad used to tell us a funny story about how a vegetarian brahmin chef’s secret to making incredibly tasty vegetarian dishes had to do with him sprinkling this shrimp chutney into the dishes! LOL! I don’t mean to offend the vegetarians but just had to share this amusing story! I am bringing this shrimp chutney powder to Angie’s Fiesta Friday where I am so late this week. But better late than never! 
Indu,
I am drooling all over the keyboard here! Dry shrimp chutney is my absolute favorite!
ha ha Sandhya! Mine too! where do you buy ur dried shrimp from? And would love to know your recipe for chutney too!
Indu, I get my dried shrimp from H mart , the Korean superstore or the Chinese grocery store.
Th etraditional recipe is one where the dried shrimp is roasted with some coconut oil, then turmeric, chili powder, onion and freshly grated coconut are added…… I am drooling even as I write this:)
yeah same here – we also get from the chinese grocers. Looks like ur recipe is very similar to ours too except for the addition of onions! Yes definitely mouthwatering!!
Heading to the supermarket on the hunt for dried shrimp/prawns this arvo. Are they an Asian product?
This sounds freakin delightful, not actually something I have heard of before, so will be fun to have a go at preparing it. Thanks lovely one. 🙂
Hey Anna! yes this is very tasty I hope u get to try it. Yeah you shod be able to find dried shrimp in Asian grocers
This is a family favourite! Shrimp chutney powder is the secret side dish to eat a cart load of rice. Its smell is irresistible even for a vegetarian! Here, we usually buy this chutney from stores. After reading this recipe I have to try making it at home!
ha ha yes totally agree on the cart load of rice part. This powder makes everything so good! Just curious – where do u buy it from?
Oh this dried chutney looks divine! I have used dried shrimp, but never in this manner. The dinner you described with the chutney sounds delicious and quick–and I quite agree about that three day weekend 🙂
Yes this is indeed so simple and so tasty! And yes maybe we all should form a union to demand a 3 day weekend! LOL! 🙂 thanks for stopping by!
Love dried shrimp too, and this chutney looks wonderful!
thanks Loretta. Yes this is indeed so tasty. Just give me a little bit of this chutney and I will finish an entire bowl of plain rice!
Shrimps are the best…awesome recipe!!!
thanks Lina. yes I love shrimp too and the dried ones taste extra delicious!