Shrimp/Prawn Karhai recipe by morEwish

 

Some dishes are quick, effortless, and still leave your guests asking, “What’s your secret?” This Shrimp Karhai is exactly that — a fusion of bold coastal flavors, classic karhai essence, and a smooth creamy finish that makes it perfect for a weeknight treat or a weekend indulgence. The real game-changer? The premium-quality spices from The Spice Lane, each one transforming simple ingredients into a symphony of flavor.

Tips & Tricks

Avoid overcooking the shrimp — they only need a few minutes.

Use Kashmiri chili for vibrant color without too much heat.

Make sure yogurt is at room temperature to prevent curdling.

Wait for the oil to separate before adding shrimp — it's the sign of a perfectly cooked masala.

The cream is optional, but it adds a luxurious touch to the dish.

About The Spice Lane

This recipe is part of a flavorful series I’m creating in collaboration with The Spice Lane — a women-owned brand that delivers purity, boldness, and unbeatable aroma in every packet. Whether it’s their Kashmiri Lal Mirch or Zeera Powder, every spice brings your dish to life.

A Karhai That Comes Together in Moments

Start by heating a generous glug of oil in your pan. No onions here — just go straight in with chopped tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, and garlic paste. Let this mixture sizzle and soften.

Once the raw smell is gone, stir in all the seasoning: The Spice Lane’s cumin, turmeric, red chili powders (both regular and Kashmiri), coriander powder, and salt. Splash in a little water to help the spices bloom without burning, then cover and let everything simmer.

Cook this mixture on a low flame, patiently, until the tomatoes break down completely and you see oil separating on top — that’s when you know it’s ready.

Now, it’s time to add the shrimp. Gently fold them in and increase the flame to medium. Prawns cook fast — you want them just curled and opaque.

Lower the heat again and add a few tablespoons of whisked yogurt. Let it cook for another minute or two, just until the yogurt settles into the masala and everything looks glossy and rich.

For garnish, I tossed in fresh chopped green chilies and a handful of cilantro. And — I was feeling a little fancy — so I added a splash of whipping cream at the end for that luxurious finish.

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Ingredients

1 lb prawns/shrimp (cleaned & deveined)
3 medium tomatoes (blended or chopped)
3-4 green chillies (slit or chopped)
2-3 tbsp whisked yogurt
4 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
Spices (all from The Spice Lane):

• 1 tsp Zeera Powder (Cumin Powder)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch (Kashmiri Red Chili Powder)
• ½ tsp Lal Mirch (Red Chili Powder) or to taste
• ½ tsp Haldi Powder (Turmeric)
• 1 tsp Dhania Powder (Coriander Powder)

1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
4-5 tbsp cooking oil

Serving Suggestions

Serve this sizzling karhai straight from the pan with warm naan or paratha. If you’re feeling adventurous, pair it with a fragrant zeera rice. It’s a crowd-pleaser either way.

This recipe is part of my ongoing series with The Spice Lane — a brand that’s as obsessed with flavor as I am. Their masalas bring every recipe to life.

Order your spice collection today at https://thespicelane.com/ and don’t forget to follow them on Instagram @the.spice.lane for recipes, product drops, and cooking inspiration!

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Shrimp Tacos جھینگے ٹاکوس ہرا دھنیا سوس with cilnatro lime sauce recipe by morEwish

 

Juicy, spicy, and so easy! The best Shrimp Tacos with cabbage slaw and creamy cilantro lime sauce are all packed in a tortilla.

The good part of this meal is that it is so close to our desi taste buds, grilled shrimps itself tastes like Shrimp tikka (Ellmyra's opinion) while Cilantro lime sauce was very close to hari chutney ka raita with mayo! A desi in me was satisfied and our bellies and heart were full after dinner! 

The shrimp are tossed with classic grounded cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. As the recipe is written, these tacos have a good amount of kick. Feel free to sneak in a little extra red chili powder if you prefer your shrimp tacos extra spicy. I plan to use this same shrimp seasoning blend for a grilled shrimp in warmer months! 

The cilantro lime sauce (which also doubles as the slaw’s dressing) is a creamy blend of cilantro, lime, sour cream and mayo (you can subsitute with greek yogurt), with jalapeno and garlic for an extra flavor boost. It perfectly balances and cools the spice from the shrimp, and it doubles as a fabulous shrimp tacos sauce to drizzle over the top. Not only is it easy to make, but you can also prep this ahead of time - up to a day in advance.

For the slaw today I am using shredded green cabbage, but you can use the blend of prebagged shredded cabbage with added vegetables and you didn’t have to grate the cabbage yourself.

A few tips for cooking perfect shrimp:

Shrimp cook very quickly, about 2-3 minutes per side, if you over cook it, they turn tough and chewy!

The shrimp should curl up into a loose “C” shape when properly cooked. If they have curled up into a tight “O” shape, then the shrimp is probably overcooked. An undercooked shrimp will still have some grayish spots on them and form more of a flexible “U” shape. (As Chelsea mentioned in her recipe notes)

Cook the shrimp right before serving, so the shrimp don’t dry out while preparing the other components of this dish.

Video in Urdu:

Video in English:

Ingredients:

Shrimp:

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups shredded green cabbage
Corn (or flour) tortillas

Cilantro Lime Sauce:

1-2 cloves garlic

1/2 of a large bunch of cilantro

3 tablespoons lime juice 

1/2 teaspoon zest
1/2 jalapeño (or 1 full jalapeño for a spicier dressing)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or greek yogurt for healthy alternate)
1/2 cup sour cream

Recipe Inspiration from Chelsea's Messy Apron

Spicy Fish - Ziyad Samke Harra سمکۃ حرۃ [Lebanese style fish] recipe by morEwish

 

Today I am making “Samke Harra” سمکۃ حرۃ translated from Arabic, it simply means spicy fish. This is a Lebanese specialty dish where a marinated and stuffed fish is baked served with or without sauce. Today I used Ziyad Brand Samke Harra spice blend to make this flavorful dish! 

It is actually a very simple dish to make – and if you don’t fancy whole fish or aren’t feeding a crowd, you can simply cook filets and then top with the delicious herbed mixture instead of stuffing. I would recommend a delicate flavoured white fish for this, as you don’t want the flavour to compete with the sauce. Today I am using Cod Loins and as you guys know I always recommend Wholey Seafood! 

Video in Urdu:

Video in English:

Ingredients:

2 lbs Cod Loin or 1 1-2 lbs cleaned whole fish 

2 tablespoon Olive oil
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoon Ziyad Brand Samkeh Harra Spice Blend
Salt and pepper - to taste
1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 green chili, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Followed this recipe by Ziyad Brand

Karachi's famous Fish Fry فش فراۂی recipe by morEwish

 

This Fish fry calls for the boneless fish pieces to be dipped in a seasoned gram flour batter for a crispy and flyffy crust. Simple as can be. This is the real deal!

Food memories are usually tied not only to a dish but the moment when you enjoyed it! Especially on cold days, you’ll find yourself feeling all kinds of nostalgia and craving one of those foods that used to make you happy when you were a kid. This Karachi's famous fish fry or finger fish is exactly like we used to get from street vendors back home. 

Today I am using Cod lions which I got from Wholey seafood, there products are all natural with no additives and chemicals which is best for the family! But you can use any other white fish as well for this recipe.

Now, lets talk about batter which has a base of gram flour with cornstarch to ensure a crispiness on crust but still stay airy without a trace of doughiness or gloppiness. Then goes in the aromatics, roasted and crushed coariander, cumin, carom seeds and few more seasoning for a simple but unambiguous flavor.  You can make this batter dairy free as well, just replace yogurt with some fresh lemon juice.

Batter-dunked fish is then deep-fried in several inches of oil - a regular pot works just fine; no need to have a fancy deep-fryer, then sprinkle lot of chaat masala and enjoy it with mint and cilnatro chutney.

Enjoy this fish fry as a snack or as a side dish at dinner time, you will not only travel back to your childhood but also satisfy the cravings!

Video in Urdu: 

Video in English:

Ingredients:

Fish fillets 1 - 1 1/2 lbs, I used cod today, you can use any other white flaky fish
Gram flour (baisan) 1 cup

Cornstarch 2 tablespoon

Cumin seeds, roasted and crushed 1 tablespoon

Coriander seeds, roasted and crushed 1 ½ tablespoon

Carom seeds (ajwain) 1 teaspoon
Red chili flakes 1 tablespoon
Salt 1 tablespoon or to taste
Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon

Garlic 1 teaspoon

Ginger 1 teaspoon

Yogurt 2 tablespoon
Water to make batter

Oil for frying

Prawn Biryani جھینگا بریانی recipe by morEwish

Shrimp/Prawn Biryani is spicy, hearty, wholesome meal, made with rice and shrimp. The warm flavors of cooked curried shrimps cooked in authentic pakistani spices, layered with fragrant rice make this an ultimate dish! 

Biryani – my non desi readers if you dont know what biryani is, essentially, it’s your favourite curry made with protein of your choice, buried under a mound of delicately spiced fluffy rice, all made in one pot. The rice is steamed over a low heat so it absorbs the flavours of the curry bubbling away underneath. The heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours, I am literally drooling right now and getting hangry for Biryani! 

This time for a change I decided to add shrimps in my biryani, same flavorful and aromatic spicy rice with seafood curry was best to enjoy in this season. You just have to be little careful while cooking. Shrimp cook really quickly. For the best result, add shrimp in the end when curry is completely done and cook on high heat. It gives them the best texture, juicy and tender, without any stringy chewiness. At the same time I prefer to buy prawns already deveined, shelled and cleaned, and you have yourself such an easy and quick recipe.

Video in Urdu:

Video in English:

Ingredients:

1 lb small shrimps

2 1/2 - 3 cups basmati rice
1 cup onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tablesppon ginger

1 tablespoon garlic 
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1-2 ani star seeds (badyan ka phool)

1 1/2 - 2 teaspoon red chili powder
3 teaspoon salt or to taste, divided

1 bouillon cude (optional)

1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

1/2 cup yogurt

1 tsp kewra essence

a pinch saffron threads
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

12 - 15 mint leaves, chopped
6 - 7  green chilies
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon orange/biryani food color

1/2 cup oil

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Mediterranean Fish Stew فش سٹیو recipe by morEwish

This simple Mediterranean fish stew recipe is a perfect dinner and easy way to cook fish. Cherry tomatoes cook down with fennel for a fragrant sauce to poach the fish in - ready in under 30 mins!

This flavorful stew works best with a firm white fish, such as halibut or cod. You could also use red snapper or even tilapia, today I used catfish. Just stay away from delicate fish such as sole for this stew, or oily fish such as tuna. If you want, you can add some shrimp, clams and/or scallops to the stew as well.

The recipe below is very much like the recipe from delish. I only made a couple of minor changes. I skipped fennel and just add fennel seeds. Then I subsitute white wine with a cup of water and vinegar. Didnt had any fish stock so use water instead, but I think chicken stock works well too.

Video in Urdu:

Video in English:

Ingredients: 

1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped in to 1 cm pieces
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. vinegar
300 g plum tomatoes chopped in half
500 ml fish/chicken stock
500 g potatoes, cut into approx 2cm pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper or black pepper
400 g white fish, firm, I used catfish
200 g raw prawns (optional)
50 g finely chopped parsley

2 tbsp. oil

Shrimp Masala Curry جھینگا مصالحہ کری by morEwish

This curry is a complete joy. As well as being seriously tasty, it’s good for you, too. Coming in at under half an hour, this is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that ticks all the boxes and promises big on flavour.

If you are a seafood lover, then you are at the right place! This Prawn Curry recipe is just amazing and will give you the true flavour of seafood. This mouth-watering recipe is loaded with prawns that a great source of protein, iron and omega-3 fatty acids. So, not only do you get a flavour bomb for your taste buds but also get many health benefits. 

Made with onions, tomatoes, and spiced up with salt and red chilli powder, this dish is sure to be a delight for everyone around you. It can be served at get togethers and potlucks, and is perfect for family lunches and dinners. It's an easy recipe that can be stored for 3-4 days in the refrigerator so you can use it for meal prepping too!

You can easily impress everyone with your cooking skills with this delicious prawns recipe and they'll be begging for more. So, turn on the stove and let's get cooking!

The flavors in this dish are unreal! 

Video in Urdu:

Video in English:

Ingredients:

Shrimps 1 lb

Onion 1 medium, chopped

Tomatoes 2 medium, chopped

Garlic, minced 1 tbsp

Ginger 1 tbsp

Salt 1 tsp

Red chili powder 1 tsp

Dried fenugreek leaves 1/2 tsp

Cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp

Green chilies, 2 chopped

Oil 3 - 4 tbsp

Classic Tuna Salad Sandwich ٹونا سینڈوچ recipe by morEwish

This easy tuna salad recipe makes the best tuna sandwiches! This classic tuna salad is the perfect recipe to make ahead for quick lunches.

This tuna salad is quick and easy to make, and it keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days. You can make it ahead and have a healthy, satisfying lunch ready to go. Use this tuna salad to make a classic tuna salad sandwich, served on a croissant, roll or bread. It’s also delicious on crackers! For a low carb meal, serve your tuna salad wrapped in lettuce leaves or on a bed of greens as a salad.

I prefer using a tuna canned in water. When you are draining the tuna prior to use, as most recipes will recommend, you could lose some of the flavor if it was packed in oil. Tuna packed in oil can absorb some of the flavor of the tuna.
In general, water-packed is usually used because it has fewer calories and retains more omega-3s. Not to mention it can taste “fresher”. One thing that I highly recommend is to make sure that you fully drain the water from the packed tuna. Extra moisture in the tuna salad is not typically considered a good thing. A watery tuna salad mixture will make the sandwich a little sloppy and could also make the bread soggy.

The great thing about tuna salad is that it can be changed up based on what you have on hand. Keep the ratios the same as the recipe below but swap out what you love.

• Replace the mayo with yogurt for a healthier and lighter option.
• I prefer not to add onion in my salad, just because it will make salad goes bad quickly. If you prefer a strong onion flavor use chopped red onion or even a sweet onion.
• I use chopped celery for crunch and texture. You can add celery salt as well or both.
• Croissants– My favorite way to eat tuna salad! However, I have to remember to buy them special because it’s not something we normally have on hand. Our next favorite option is whole grain bread, but in truth, any sandwich bread will work!
• Make it a Wrap – Completely change the game by making it a tuna salad wrap. We use a flour tortilla, some romaine lettuce leaves, tomato and wrap it all up! This is also a great alternative if you are taking these on a picnic because the tortilla holds everything together nicely.

Feel free to get creative and add/replace your own favorite ingredients.

Video in Urdu: 

Video in English: 

Ingredients: 

4 (5oz) cans Tuna packed in water, drained
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonaise
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
Salt a pinch, to taste
Pepper 1/4 - 1/2 tsp, to taste


To Make the Sandwiches:

Whole wheat Bread
Sliced tomatoes
Lettuce
Onion

Delicious Shrimp جھینگے recipe by morEwish

If you guys follow me on Insta, must have seen my insta story about Shrimp I tried at Caputo's fresh market. Lady their was so sweet, she helped me find all seasoning she was using and shared her recipe as well! I tried them at home and everyone LOVED it!
So today I am sharing that recipe with you guys

Just in case you missed it, and want to follow me in Instagram.. my insta handle morEwish Cuisine by Mahwish

Video in Urdu:







Video in English:

Ingredients: 

Raw shrimps 1 lb
Steak seasoning 1 tbsp
Sazon Goya (coriander & Annatto)  1 sachet p.s. attaching pic at the end for reference
Butter or oil 2 tbsp
Garlic cloves 4-5

Classic Fried Catfish 🎣 recipe by morEwish 🐬

One look at a catfish and you might wonder why anyone would ever eat it. But fried catfish is another story. Breaded, seasoned, and fried, this fried catfish recipe will have you coming back for seconds..

Fried catfish is an icon of Southern cooking: For many, there simply isn’t any other way to prepare it.- Classic Southern Fried Catfish dipped in buttermilk and breaded in spicy seasoned cornmeal and fried to perfection.

The secret to this recipe is maintaining oil temperature of 360 degrees to ensure a crispy, golden crust. Serve with lemon slices and your favourite tartar sauce. We had it with Dal chawal


Video Tutorial:

Ingredients:


1 1/2 cups buttermilk (1 1/2 tbsp Vinegar + ! 1/2 cup milk)
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
6 (4- to 6-oz.) catfish fillets
1/3 cup plain yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup corn flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp  red pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Peanut oil for frying

Fish Scramble 🐟 | Fish Puttu 💙 recipe by morEwish

As I am trying to add more fish in our diet and a lover of seafood, I am constantly on the look out for new recipes. The idea for this recipe came from a recipe for Srilankan shark fish scramble/puttu that I came across recently. So I designed this Scrambled fish recipe, to satisfy our taste buds.

This Scrambled fish recipe has been deliciously flavoured by mustard and with a hint of chilli. This dish can be made with any other white fish like tilapia or catfish, that can be flaked easily. Just cook the fish until its fully done and ready to be flaked. This can be done in any of these 2 methods:
Steam / boil the fish on a stove until it is fully cooked. Remove from heat, drain any water left and allow the fish to cool for a little bit. Or bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes in a lightly oil-coated pan, drain any water.

It’s so simple and only takes trying once to find out how true that is. The fishy flavors are beautifully camouflaged in this recipe but  it is the fish after all that’s lending the dish its superb taste.


Video Tutorial:

Ingredients:

Tuna in water - 3/4 cans or boneless fish fillets – 1 lb
Oil – 3 tbsp
Dry red chilies – 2, broken
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Onion – 1 medium, chopped fine
Green chilies – 4, slit
Red chili powder – 1 tsp or to taste
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Coconut – 1/4 cup, shredded or chopped into small bits (optional)
Cilantro – 3/4 tbsp, chopped