In the Arab Gulf countries, various seafood dishes come in many varieties. Crowning these are those made with shrimp. During my many trips to that part of the world there literally was no shrimp dish that I did not like. Usually prepared from fresh shrimp and moderately spiced, in the main, they were tasty and wholesome. The unusual taste
of pomegranate syrup mixed with Arabian Gulf Spice Mix and fresh coriander leaves is what gives these shrimp balls their unique taste. This dish, one of my favorites, is likely of Malaysian origin as Chebeh is an island off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Since this is formally an East Asian recipe, rice flour is called for as an ingredient—rice flour being the prevalent flour in that region of the world. However other types of flour can be substituted, as noted in the recipe.

Serves 4

PREP TIME: about 45 minutes
REFRIGERATION TIME: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb (500 g) medium-size (16 to 20 count) fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons rice flour or cake or pastry flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 5 tablespoons (2/3 stick/70 g) butter
• 3 large onions, minced (3 cups/550 g)
• 1 teaspoon Arabian Gulf Spice Mix (Baharat)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 1 cup (255 g) stewed tomatoes (about 2/3 of one 14.5-oz/411-g can)
• Generous pinch of ground red pepper (cayenne)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Process the shrimp and coriander leaves into a paste in a food processor. Transfer the paste to a mixing bowl and add the turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, rice flour, and egg, and mix thoroughly. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
3. To make the filling, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet. Add 2 cups (370 g) of the minced onion and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the Arabian Gulf Spice Mix and remove from the heat.
4. To make the sauce, melt the remaining butter in a medium saucepan. Add the remaining onion and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the remaining salt and Arabian Gulf Spice Mix, and the rest of the ingredients. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer to a 9 x 13 x 2-inch (23 x 33 x 5-cm) baking pan.
5. In the meantime, take about 1 heaping tablespoon of the shrimp paste and flatten between the palms of your hands. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center. Wrap the flattened shrimp paste up around the filling to form a closed ball. Continue with the rest of the paste and filling. Gently place the shrimp balls in the baking pan with the sauce. Cover and bake for 40 minutes.
6. Serve immediately with Saudi-Style White Rice.