Bahrain - Shrimp Balls

Shrimp Balls!? Sounds crazy right? But this interesting dish, known as Chebeh Rubyan, is a classic in the Arab country of Bahrain.
 

Bahrain is a small archipelago of 33 islands in the Persian Gulf, situated between the Qatar peninsula and the north-eastern coast of Saudi Arabia. It is 780 km2 in size, making it the third smallest nation in Asia. Bahrain was the first Arabian country to discover petroleum in 1932.

The name Bahrain is derived from the Arabic term ‘al-bahrayn’ which means ‘Two Seas’ (referring to the natural springs and the sea). With 161 km of coastline, much of Bahrain's cuisine, culture, and history revolves around water. Before oil, Bahrain’s economy thrived on pearl diving and fishing. Bahrain’s access to ocean travel exposed the country to more western influences than its other Arab neighbours. Bahrain was occupied by the Portuguese (1521-1602) and then the United Kingdom (1880-1971). As a result, Bahrain is viewed as more ethically and religiously diverse and while still considered a conservative culture, it is more moderate than the other gulf states.

Despite Bahrain’s love of water, it is predominantly a hot desert. During the summer, temperatures average 40° celsius. Bahrain also receives very little precipitation, with an average yearly rainfall of 72mm. In Bahrain’s arid landscape and scorching climate, one of their most popular tourist attractions is a 400-year-old tree growing in the Sakhir desert. The ‘Tree of Life’ is a thriving 9.75m Prosopis cineraria tree. The tree is covered in green leaves, yet it stands alone surrounded by miles of sand with no other trees nearby and no apparent source of water. No one is certain how the tree survives. It is thought that the tree may have access to an underground stream that is two miles away. Other theories include that the tree has learned to extract moisture from the breeze or from grains of sand. While folklore suggests that the tree is standing where the Garden of Eden once was.

Bahrain’s love of water is also reflected in their cuisine, with fresh fish and seafood from the Gulf being a staple of the Bahraini diet. Fish is typically grilled, fried or steamed and served with rice. However, a century of British rule has also made fish and chips a popular dish in Bahrain. Bahraini food is typically spicy with strong flavours. Commonly used spices are: chilli, cumin, coriander, cardamom and cinnamon. Dates are also commonly used in Bahraini cooking as they are one of the few plants that grow in their arid landscape.

Shrimp Balls

Ingredients:

• 600g Prawns
• 1 Tbs coriander
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup rice flour
• ⅓ cup butter
• 1 onion, diced
• Rind of  ½ lemon
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tin diced tomatoes
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 2 Tbs sugar

Baharat Spices:

• 1 tsp paprika
•  ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp coriander
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp cinnamon 
• ⅛ tsp  cloves
• ⅛ cardamon

Blend prawns into a paste. Then add coriander, turmeric, salt and rice flour. Mix until combined and chill until needed.

In a frying pan melt butter and saute onions until soft.

Then add baharat spices, lemon rind, tamarind paste, water, tomatoes, chilli powder, and sugar. Cover and simmer for 30 mins.

Take your prawn paste and form it into 1 Tbs sized prawn balls.

Add prawn balls to your simmering sauce and cook covered for about 20 mins. Serve with rice.

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I was unsure about this meal. Shrimp Balls sound a little weird, but they had a really interesting flavour. If you enjoy prawns I think this is a great alternative to traditional meatballs. Peter really loved the dish and thought it was fantastic! Initially I really enjoyed it, but the prawn flavour got a bit much for me after a while. The spicy tomato sauce goes really well with the prawns. But the sauce was pretty hot, so we added some yoghurt to cool it down. 

183 meals to go. Next stop on my world tour: Bangladesh!