Cook the Ocean

Bangladesh Style

an illustrated seafood guide and cookbook

Cook the Ocean

an illustrated seafood guide and cookbook
Sayedur R Chowdhury Hilde van Duijn M Shahadat Hossain SM Sharifuzzaman

Bangladesh Style

COMPILERS Sayedur R Chowdhury is a professor at the Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries of the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. He is invloved in teaching and research in oceanograpy, coastal geomorphology, and coastal environmental changes. He would describe himself as a cooking enthusiast. He is a member of ECOBAS project team.
Hilde van Duijn combines her previous experience in flood prevention with her current role as business development manager for Royal HaskoningDHV in the global food and beverage market. She believes in the value of international knowledge exchange to address shared topics like flood prevention and food security, realized in projects like ECOBAS. M Shahadat Hossain is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries of the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. He is invloved in teaching and research in coastal zone management, climate change challenges, fisheries management, community livelihood, and coastal resilience modeling. He is the leader of ECOBAS Bangladesh project team. He is best described as a promoter of seafood. SM Sharifuzzaman is an Associate professor at the Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries of the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. He is involved in teaching and research in aquaculture, marine biology and climate change adaptation. He is a member of ECOBAS project team. He describes himself as a food lover.

ECOBAS Project Team Arjo Rothius (Project Leader)

Aad Smaal Tom Ysebaert Petra Hellegers Petra Dankers Arie van Duijn Marnix de Vriend Carvajal Monar Fortunato Alex Hooijer Christiaan van Sluice Hilde van Duijn M Shahadat Hossain (Bangladesh Team Leader) Sayedur R Chowdhury SM Sharifuzzaman

PARTICIPANTS OF SEAFOOD COOKING CAMP AND RECIPE CONTRIBUTORS

Md Royhanur Islam (Russel) Avijit Talukder Khin Ma U Sabrina Sanjida Roksana Akhter Asma Ahmed Tahmid Farzana Fahmin Salah Uddin Rahed Mehedi Iqbal Md. Rayhanul Islam Nazmus Sakib Amal Halder (Chef )

Cover and layout: Sayedur R Chowdhury Publisher: ECOBAS Project 2013-2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENTS INSIDE
Foreword Introduction Commonly used seafood ingredients Some marine fishes suitable for cooking seafood Some shrimps and prawns suitable for cooking seafood Seafood preparation FAQ Selected seafood recipes Food for thought, thought for food

PAGE

1 2 3-10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17-20 21

FOREWARD
Climate change, land subsidence and population growth is putting a number of deltas under severe pressure. The need for flood protection to ensure people are safe, is clear. And other needs of people in terms of sanitation, water scarcity, food security and energy may seem conflicting, but it does not necessarily have to be that way. Bangladesh, as a consequence of its geographical situation, is faced with flooding and food scarcity issues that need to be dealt with now - not in the future. Innovative solutions, tailored to the local situation, can contribute to safety and provide a sustainable resource for the community. Our companies, IMARES Wageningen UR and Royal HaskoningDHV, have joined forces to promote responsible use and management of ecosystems. We are very proud to have the opportunity to apply the lessons learned from our projects in other deltas. Some people say that God made the world, but the Dutch made the Netherlands. This is because the Dutch are known for their dikes, sluices and canals. Nowadays, these waterworks are mostly associated with safety: a dike is built for protection. But this was not the starting point. Originally we built dikes to reclaim land. We saw an opportunity to produce food on the land that was once the sea, but having reclaimed the land, we began to worry about safety. Safety and food production can be combined through eco-engineering. Eco-system engineers are organisms that create, modify or maintain habitats, either through their activities or the structures they create. Bivalve reefs, such as clam, mussel and oyster can also provide food and contribute to a healthier ecosystem. In the Netherlands, for example, an oyster reef was created to combat erosion of tidal flats in the Eastern Scheldt. Together with the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh, IMARES Wageningen UR and Royal HaskoningDHV conducted a pilot project in the coastal zone of Bangladesh. The aim was to see whether eco-engineered coastal defence integrated with sustainable aquatic food production could be a solution, combining flood protection and food production. Oyster reefs can offer protection of the shore by preventing erosion. They do this by breaking the waves and supporting a healthy habitat for shellfish and other species. That is the essence of an approach called building with nature. And happily, the unique part of this solution is a great by-product, namely tasty food. In this cook book you will find recipes from the coastal region in Bangladesh, prepared with natural ingredients from the sea and tidal areas, and of course, oysters. While preparing the dishes, you can learn about the pilot project and its first promising results - an example of successful ecoengineering. Enjoy the Bangladesh oyster recipes! Tammo Bult Director IMARES Wageningen UR Naren Bhojaram Business Line Director Rivers, Deltas and Coasts Royal HaskoningDHV
Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

INTRODUCTION
Bangladesh has long been traditionally known as a land of fishes, and Bengalis are regarded as Children of rice and fish. These titles owe their origins to the extravagant quantity of natural stocks and species diversity of freshwater fishes available in the vast Gangetic floodplain, rivers, creeks and canals, waterlogged depressions and lowlands, homestead ponds and ditches. That golden era of fish abundance has gone in the last several decades. Flood control, fishing rights, diminishing river flow, erratic rainfall, population pressure and over-exploitation, industrial pollution - all had their tolls on fish habitats, migration, maturity, health, breeding, life cycle and as a result on stocks. The decline of freshwater fishes has led to a greater attention to marine harvest from the Bay of Bengal to meet the increasing demand for fishes. Bangladeshis, including those who live far from the coast, are gradually being adapted to have marine fishes in their daily rations. Nevertheless, seafood is still largely off the menu, because a marine fish is just another fish, cooked and eaten just like any other. Save for shrimp, mollusk and other non-fish items are still off the table. Bangladesh is not well known for seafood cuisine in its conventional sense of interpretation. Marine mollusks, weeds and other taxa of animals and plants did not make their way into local foods in a significant way. Nonetheless, this scenario is about to change and cuisines from around the world are slowly getting infused in the menu of Bangladeshi dinner tables. Ingenious chefs and moms are blending exotic recipes with their own, and are creating delicious and palatable dishes for customers and kids. The Eco-engineered Coastal Defense and Food Production (ECOBAS) project between the IMARES, Wageningen University in the Netherlands and Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries (IMSF) of the University of Chittagong in Bangladesh with participation and financial assistance from Royal HaskoningDHV of the Netherlands is jointly taking the opportunity of this transition moment to further popularize seafood ingredients and cuisine in Bangladesh. As part of a broader agenda, IMSF had organized a fun-filled yet educational Sea-Food Cooking Camp for the students of Marine Science and Fisheries. This booklet is culminated from that process. A word of caution though, this booklet is not meant to be a book of recipes, rather a general introductory guide to seafood ingredients, preparation, and nutritional value. Some selected recipes from the cooking camp are also included as examples.

Seafood guide and cookbook

COMMON SEAFOOD INGREDIENTS

Ingredient Squid

zBW

Short description Members of the Cephalopod (feet-on-the-head) family of Mollusks (snail like animals). They are swimming marine animals preying on other creatures .

Cuttle fish My

gvqv

Members of the Cephalopod family of Mollusks, close cousins of squids, but fatter (chubbier) than squids. They are considered less attractive than squids, because of the body form factor and ink content.

Octopus

Avcvm

Members of the Cephalopod family of Mollusks. Relatives of squids and cuttle fishes. Octopuses live on the bottom of waters preying on other marine animals.

Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

Use as seafood Popular as food in many parts of the world. Squids can be stuffed whole, sliced or cut into rings. Can be used in soup, fries and curries. Arms and tentacles are also used in food preparation.

Nutritional value Rich in Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Selenium and Vitamin B12, Riboflavin

Availability Relatively rare in Bangladesh, but can be obtained in small quantities from fish exporters, and fishing boats/trawlers.

Relative abundance makes cuttle fishes popular in south-east asian countries. They are used like squids in the seafood preparation.

Rich in Selenium, Copper, Phosphorus, Iron, Sodium, Zinc, Vitamin B12, Riboflavin

Not readily available, but slighly more abundant than squids. Can be obtained in small quantities from fish exporters, fishing boats/trawlers.

Popular in many cultures. Mainly the arms, and sometimes other body parts are used in food.

Rich in Selenium, Iron, Phosphorus, Copper, Zinc, vitamin B12, B6, Niacin, Vitamin C

Relatively rare in Bangladesh, but can be obtained in very small quantities from fish exporters, and fishing boats/trawlers.

Seafood guide and cookbook

COMMON SEAFOOD INGREDIENTS (cont)

Ingredient Mussel Jhinook

wSbyK
Few varieties available, Green Mussel in picture.

Short description Members of the Bivalvia (double-shelled) family of Mollusks. Found attached to hard substrates in the intertidal area (where tide water comes and goes). They have thin but generally regular shaped outer shells.

Oyster Kostur Jhinook

Kiv wSbyK

Oysters are also members of bivalvia. Few varieties of edible oysters are found in Bangladesh. They have a thicker but generally irregular outer shell. They are also found in the intertidal area firmly attached to rocks and other hard substrates.

Clam Jhinook

wSbyK
Several varieties available, Blood Cockle in picture.

Clams are also members of bivalvia. They have round, decorated and bi-symmetric shells. Several varieties are found in Bangladesh in the subtidal (below tide level). They grow at the bottom of the waters and do not remain attached to any hard substrate.

Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

Use as seafood Popular in many parts of the world. Can be cooked shell-on, or meatonly. Can be used in soup, saunte, curry, or skewer

Nutritional value Rich in Manganese, Selenium, Phosphorus, Iron, Sodium, Potassium, Zinc, Vitamin B1, Riboflavin, Vitamin C, Thiamin, Niacin

Availability Not readily available in the market. May be obtained from Rakhain villages of Coxs Bazar. Canned mussel meat often available in select grocery superstores.

Very popular wordwide. Eaten raw, boiled or cooked with appropriate condiments and sauce.

Rich in Selenium, Zinc, Phosphorus, Iron, Vitamin B12, B6, Niacin. Believed to have aphrodisiac effect.

Not readily available in the market. May be obtained from Rakhain villages of Coxs Bazar.

Very popular worldwide. Eaten boiled or cooked with appropriate condiments and sauce, or in soup.

Rich in Iron, Selenium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Riboflavin

Not readily available in the market. May be obtained from Rakhain villages of Coxs Bazar.

Seafood guide and cookbook

COMMON SEAFOOD INGREDIENTS (cont)

Ingredient Shrimp Chigrhi

wPswo

Short description There are several varieties of marine shrmips and freshwater prawns available in Bangladesh. Bagda (tiger shrimp), chaka, loilla are the most common. Golda (giant freshwater prawn) can be mixed with seafood ingredients.

Lobster

jevi

Lobsters are close to and look like shrimps, but they are not. Few varieties of spiny lobsters are found in Bangladesh.

Crab Knkrh

Crabs are close relatives of shrimps. There are several common varieties of sea crabs in Bangladesh.

KvuKov

Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

Use as seafood Very popular worldwide, their use in food preparation is only limited by imagination.

Nutritional value Rich in Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Magnesium, Selenium, Vitamin B12

Availability Some varieties are available almost in every kitchen market around the country, but Bagda may be limited to only some markets and in certain season.

Popular often as a novelty. Generally cooked whole, and served whole as an attractive dish.

Rich in Copper, Selenium, Phosphorus, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Pantothelic Acid, Vitamin B12, Niacin, Vitamin E

Raw lobsters are available in St. Martin's island. Their natural production is very limited, and we need to protect them from overfishing.

Very popular worldwide, widely used in soup. crab meat can be used as substitute of fish and meat in many food preparations.

Rich in Selenium, Copper, Zinc, Phosphorus, Vitamin B12, Niacin

Caught in the coastal area and islands. Sold in some local markets, there is an exisiting supply chain for restaurants and overseas market.

Seafood guide and cookbook

COMMON SEAFOOD INGREDIENTS (cont)

Ingredient Fish Mchh

gvQ

Short description Fishes are aquatic chordate (with skeleton) animals. Some fishes are full of tiny bones, some are relatively boneless. Some are fast swimmers, some are not. Taste and texture of fish meat depends on these and other factors. There are hundreds of varieties of marine fishes, but only some are in high demand as seafood ingredients. A list of suitable fishes is provided in a later section.

Seaweed Shoibl

kevj

Seaweeds are marine algae. Many varieties of seaweeds are found in Bangladesh coast. Several of them can be found in sufficient quantities and can be used as food very much like land grown greens and herbs. Currently seaweeds in Bangladesh are dried for local consumption and export.

Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

Use as seafood Fishes are taken as the principal source of protein in many countries. Bangladeshies are well known as fish-eaters. Their use in food is also diverse. Fish can be cooked, baked, fried, grilled, steamed, and mashed.

Nutritional value Rich in Selenium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Vitamin B6, Pantothelic acid, Niacin, Thiamin, Riboflavin

Availability Some marine fishes are available in all fish markets of the country, particularly in towns and cities not far from the coast. Avaialbility of a particular fish depends on catch amount, season, distance from the sea, price, preservation and transportation factors.

Can be eaten raw or cooked. Also dry processed as food wrap, or chipped as food ingredients.

Rich in folic acid and vitamins (A, B1, K, C), carrageenan. Help control high blood pressure and reduces risk of heart strokes.

Widely distributed in the intertidal and sub tidal water of St. Martins Island

10

Seafood guide and cookbook

SOME FISHES SUITABLE FOR SEAFOOD COOKING

Kvivj, fUwK
korl, vetki

Lates calcarifer Sea Bass Sea bass is a high value marine fish. Bright silver color, attractive body form factor, boneless meat and good taste make it an excellent seafood candidate. It can be cooked to make a traditional curry, roasted, grilled, BBQed or steamed whole, or cut into pieces and fried, or filleted for a variety of other recipes. Its tissue is very soft, and doesn't offer a texture when cooked. Available in major kitchen markets and grocery superstores in big cities and towns and in the coastal area.

Skipjack Tuna is a fast swimming fish of the open sea, that makes its mussels tight which offers a meaty texture. A good source of boneless meat. Its meat can be used in sandwiches and salad tosses. Its flesh makes a suitable dough when mashed and mixed with appropriate binder agent, and can be used to make fish fingers/balls with a very distinctive flavor. It can also be cooked/baked in chunks, or sautd in flakes. Old and big tuna accumulates high levels of mercury, and not considered healthy for children and pregnant women, however young and small tunas should be safer. Available fresh or frozen in big fish markets, and as canned meat in groceries.

Skipjack Tuna or Mackerel Tuna Euthynnus affinis

bom mitt

eg gvBv

surm

myigv

Scomberomorus guttatus Mackerel Mackerel is also a fast swimming fish of open sea and its meat offers tuna-like texture and firmness. Its meat also can be used in sandwiches, tosses and dough making. Small mackerels can also be deep fried, grilled or baked whole. Available fresh or frozen in fish markets.
Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

11

ic Pvu`v

roop chnd

Pampus chinensis Chienese pomfret Chinese pomfret is the most sought after variety of pomfrets. It is in high demand due to its taste, meat quantity and relative attarctiveness. All pomfrets have soft backbones and boneless meat. Meat has distinct flavor, and nice sandy texture. Chinese pomfret can be grilled, deep or shallow fried, or cooked whole or in pieces depending on size. Found in major fish markets and grocery superstores, but their availability is somewhat lesser than that of silver pomfret.

Pampus argenteus Silver pomfret Silver pomfret is the most common form of pomfret available in fish markets. Shiny silver tint and crescent fins make it very attractive. Generally smaller and thinner than the other two varieties. It can be deep fried, grilled or cooked.

dwj Pvu`v

foli chnd

Available in most major fish markets and grocery superstores in ample quantities.

Parastromateus niger Brown pomfret Brown pomfret is the the largest variety of pomfrets. Somewhat is lesser demand due to its dark skin color. However, tastewise it is no inferior than its cousins if cooked properly. Like its cousins, it can be grilled, cooked or fried, generally in pieces. It is available in major fish markets.

Red snapper is a very attractive and tasty sea pearch. Most snappers have sweet, firm, white and textured flesh, the red snapper is no exception. Typically it grows up to 1-2 feet in length and weighs 2-5 kgs. Like other perches it has very strong bony skeleton and hard spines on the back, but the flesh is boneless. Thus, it can be filleted for various food preparations. Small to medium snappers can be grilled or BBQed, large ones cut into pieces and fried, cooked or baked. Not readily available everywhere or in all seasons. It may ocassionally be sold in fish markets, or can be obtained from fish exporters, fishermen or from wholesalers.

Red Snapper Lutjanus sp.

nvBj Pvu`v 12
Seafood guide and cookbook

hil chnd

ll korl

jvj Kvivj

SOME SHRIMPS AND PRAWNS SUITABLE FOR SEAFOOD COOKING

evM`v wPswo
bgd

Penaeus monodon Tiger shrimp Is a high value shrimp, caught in the wild by shrimp trawlers, but extensively cultivated in the coastal area for the export market. Typically marketed in the size range of 22-28gm (35-45 pieces per kg). Fresh specimens are dark with bright yellow patches at the back, hence the name tiger. There are hundreds of different traditional Indian/Bangladeshi curries where this shrimp can be used. It can also be skewered, blanched, or BBQed without the shell. When lightly cooked it develops a beautiful bright orange complexion. Found in major fish markets in growing season (end of monsoon??), but its availability is highly irregular/uncertain.

Freshwater giant prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Is also a high value prawn. It grows in fresh water ponds and rivers, but migrates to the low saline estuarine waters for breeding. Despite being a freshwater prawn, it can be used with seafood ingredients. It grows larger than the tiger shrimps, size ranges from 30-45gm (22-33 pcs per kg). This shrimp is also being cultivated in ponds. Available in sporadic supply in many parts of the country, particularly in areas near rivers and waterbodies. Recently cultivation made it relatively more abundant than in the past years. White shrimp, prawn Penaeus indicus A high value shrimp. Creamy white in colour with no bands over the body. Found in marine and coastal waters of up to 90m depth. Supply is irregular and highly dependent on capture. Size ranges from 15-25 gm (40-70 pieces per kg) and usually marketed in fresh or frozen condition. Used to prepare delicious shrimp curries (chingri malaikari, kofta, dopeyaza, etc.), salad recipes, appetizers, tempura, shrimp scampi, and garlic/grilled shrimp.

Mj`v wPswo
gold

chk

PvKv wPswo

Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

13

Yellow shrimp Metapenaeus brevicornis Nwb/LiLwiqv wPswo

ghani/kharkhari chingrhi A low value shrimp. The species is pale yellowish in colour with a maximum total length: males, 9.8 cm; females, 13.2 cm. It inhabits marine to nearly freshwater system, and occurs commonly in depths <30 to 40 m with occasional catch from depths of 90 m. Their supply is very limited and completely dependent on wild capture fisheries caught with a variety of artisanal gears, cast nets, push nets and trawls. Smaller in size <2-5 gm and usually marketed in fresh or frozen condition. It can be used to prepare shrimp curries, salad recipes, appetizers, and garlic shrimp.

A high value sea-food. Milky white to yellowish in colour with black or dark brown speckles, length varies from 20 to 24cm. It is found in marine and coastal waters up to 50m depth, but most abundant to 20m. Supply is infrequent and mostly relies on wild catch. Size ranges from 20-25 gm (40-50 pieces per kg) and usually marketed in fresh or frozen condition. Used to prepare delicious shrimp curries (chingri malaikari, kofta, dopeyaza, etc.), shrimp pulao with coconut milk, appetizers, tempura, shrimp scampi, and garlic/grilled shrimp. Kjv wPswo kol chingrhi Banana prawn Penaeus merguiensis

nwiYv/ jBjv wPswo

harin/loill chingrhi

Brown shrimp Metapenaeus Monoceros A Low value among marine shrimp. Grey to green in colour and speckled with dark brown pigments. Length varies from 15 to 20 cm. It is a marine species, but also found in brackishwater and freshwater environments, and distributed in the coastal waters to 70m depth. Supply is abundant in March-June and in November-December, and predominantly comes through traditional coastal farming, although a limited quantity harvested from wild in the inshore and nearshore waters. Smaller in size <2-10 gm and usually marketed in fresh or frozen condition. It can be used to prepare shrimp curries, salad recipes, appetizers, and lemon-garlic shrimp. 14
Seafood guide and cookbook

Another high value shrimp. Olive green to brown in colour with a light tan striping along the body, length ranges from 18 to 23cm. It lives in marine and coastal waters to 130m depth, but mostly abundant to 60 m. Supply is occasional and completely relies on natural catches. Size ranges from 15-25 gm (40-70 pieces per kg) and usually marketed in fresh or frozen condition. Used to prepare shrimp curries (chingri malaikari, kofta, dopeyaza, etc.), shrimp pulao with coconut milk, appetizers, evNvZviv wPswo tempura, shrimp scampi, bghtra chingrhi and garlic/grilled shrimp.

Green tiger shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus

SEAFOOD PREPARATION FAQ

How to prepare squid and cuttlefish? Squid and cuttlefishes have two distinctly different segments - the trunk or the body with the fins, and the head with the tentacles. The internal organs including the gut can be easily pulled out from the body by firmly holding the trunk while steadily pulling the head by grasping behind the eyes. Remaining hard materials (the sheath) inside the body sack can be felt with fingers and removed by pulling out. The outer surface of the sack is covered with a thin cellophane like skin, which can to be scratched off with a knife. Doing so leaves behind white meat. Cleaned sack can be cut into pieces in any desired size and shape, cut into rings, or sliced at regular intervals on one side keeping the other side intact. This can be achieved by inserting a broad bladed knife inside the sack and slicing with another knife. Tentacles can be separated from the head with a knife. There is a hard beak at the center of each tentacles which is to be removed.
eye fins trunk

How to store and prepare mussel?

barnacle etc.

Mussels are desirable when they are still alive, dead mussels are generally discarded unless it is known when they died. Firmly closed shells indicate a living mussel. Sometimes a mussel's root or beard shells may remain slightly open just because it is relaxing or sleeping. Lightly tapping the shell will wake it up leading to closing of the shells immediately indicating a good live mussel. If not used immediately after collection, mussels can be kept live for several days inside refrigerator or in a cool place wrapped in a wet cloth or paper. Wrapping mussels in plastic bags may cause them to die. Mussels should be cleaned in running water to remove sand and dirt. If they are to be cooked with their shells on, the outer surface of the shells should be cleaned to remove barnacles (a pyramid shaped hard shell of another marine animal) and other foreign substances. A knife and a hard toothbrush can be handy for cleaning. Mussels will usually still have their 'roots' (also called beard) attached, those should be removed by firmly grabbing the tuft and pulling out or by cutting.

head tentacles

Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

15

How to extract crab meat? Unlike shrimps and lobsters crabs do not have firm flesh inside their shells, instead they have a nearly liquid gelatinous raw meat which is very difficult to separate from its shell unless it is cooked first. Boiling the crab for about 20 minutes will solidify the meat making it relatively easy to extract for food preparation. Once boiled and sufficiently cooled off, large finger claws can be torn off the body and the shell cracked open to remove cooked brain and meat. Still separating the meat from the shell may not be easy, meat may have to be scratched off from different chambers. Finger claws can be cracked open to extract meat, or can be set aside for using whole or fractured.

How to prepare shrimp and prawn? Shrimps and prawns are eaten in hundreds, maybe even thousands, of different styles. Preparation of shrimp for cooking is however limited to only a few basic forms. They can be used whole with head, tail and shell saw or rostrum on; but when you keep the head head make sure it is really antenna fresh. Many food styles use shell headless but shell-on shrimp, some use headless and shell-off (peeled) but tail on, while in some preparations you need only the meat without head, shell or walking legs tail. Sometimes, you keep the vein - actually the intestine, running swimming legs along the back of the body - yet other times tail you get rid of it by cutting open the backside and gently pulling the dark vein out (deveining). If you want a shell-on shrimp without vein, you will need a pair of scissors to cut open the shell for deveining. Other organs which are generally undesirable include the saw (called rostrum), walking legs under the head, swimming legs under the belly, and the beard (called antenna). These organs are generally discarded unless required for the presentation of the food.

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Seafood guide and cookbook

SELECTED RECIPES
Clear Crab-meat soup
Ingredients 30 3 large mud crabs 5 large onions, chopped 3 large fresh garlic, chopped 1 peice medium fresh ginger, chopped 5-6 stalks of Lemon Grass, cut into pieces 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder 2 table spoon salt Process 1. Put whole crabs in boiling water, boil until its color changes 2. Clean the shell of the crab, break crab shell into medium pieces 3. Mix chopped onion, garlic and ginger 4. Bring to boil 1 litre water in a deep pan, and pour mixed onion-garlic-ginger 5. after 2 minutes, pour broken crab 6. Add salt and lemon grass 7. Cook for 15 minutes in medium heat, Serve hot.

Fried shrimp with oyster sauce

20

Ingredients 4 medium shrimp, shell-off, cleaned 1 tea spoon ginger paste 2 tea spoons oyster sauce 2 tea spoons BBQ sauce/tomato sauce 1 tea spoon lemon juice 1/2 tea spoon red chili powder Oil for frying Salt to taste

Process 1. Marinate shrimp with ginger paste and lemon juice 2. Mix oyster sauce, tomato/BBQ sauce, salt and chili powder 3. Add to marinade, leave for some time 4. Shallow fry on pan, one side at a time, and serve hot.
Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

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Steamed oyster
Ingredients 30 10 fresh oysters 2 sticks spring onion 1 bell pepper/capsicum 2-3 cloves of garlic, grated 1 cup grated chopped 2 table spoon chopped ginger 2 table spoons soy sauce Dash of salt Process 1. Open the oysters, take out the meat and clean. 2. Boil meat for a little while. 3. Mix all ingredients and steam for 20 minutes. 3. Serve on cleaned oyster shells. Time Difficulty level Servings 15-30 min Medium 4

45

Steamed Sea Bass (Koral)

Ingredients 1 whole Sea bass, 1+ kg, scaled, gutted and cleaned 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh ginger 2 tbsp finely chopped corriander leaves/parsely 1 cup cliced mushroom Green onions, diagonally cut into pieces 1/2 cup light soy sauce 2 tbsp Olive oil Pinch of black pepper powder Salt to tatse Process 1. Bring water to boil in a pot, place a metal or bamboo steamer on it. 2. Mix the fish with salt and pepper throughly, place it on a foil, top it with ginger, mushroom and parsely. Wrap the foil around. 3. Steam for about 20 minutes. 4. Saunte green onion in olive oil in a small pan. 5. Open the foil, spread green onion saunte on top of steamed fish. 6. Pour soy sauce on top, and serve hot.

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Seafood guide and cookbook

SELECTED RECIPES (contd)

Seafood Salad Delight
Ingredients 1 large carrot grated or finely chopped 2 cups finely shredded cabbage 1 cup shredded red cabbage 20 1 cup Lettuce coarsely chopped dash of salt dash of freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (optional) 2 tbsp mayonnaise or salad cream 1 tsp sugar (optional) 1/2 cup small headless tailless peeled shrimp 1/2 cup shredded crab meat or surimi Process 1. Boil the shrimp for 3 minutes in 1 cup water with a pinch of salt 2. Dressing: Mix lime juice, mayonnaise/salad cream, sugar, black pepper and olive oil in a small bowl 3. In a large bowl combine vegetables, shrimp and crab meat 4. Add the dressing and toss well Variations can be brought in the selection of vegetables, seafood and dressing ingredients. For example, sauted tuna flakes, octopus arms, boiled mussel meat can be added.

Garlic Shrimp Skewers

Ingredients 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 tsp reduced sodium soya sauce 1 tsp vegetable oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 30 3 green onions tsp red pepper flakes Process 1. Prepare grill or preheat broiler. Soak 4 (12-inch) wooden skewers in hot water 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place shrimp in large plastic resealable food storage bag. Combine soy sauce, oil, garlic and red pepper, if desired, in cup; mix well. Pour over shrimp. Seal bag; turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature 15 minutes. 2. Drain shrimp; reserve marinade. Alternately thread shrimp and onions onto skewers. Place skewers on grid or rack of broiler pan. Brush with reserved marinade; discard any remaining marinade. Grill, covered, over medium-hot coals or broil 5 to 6 inches from heat 5 minutes on each side or until shrimp are pink and opaque. Serve on lettuce-lined plate, if desired.
Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

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Seafood Soup with rice noodle

Ingredients 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped 30 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped 2-3 red chili, soaked in hot water 1 cup carrot, diced 1 big tomato, diced 1 cup green vegetable of choice, sliced 1 bell pepper (capsicum), thin sliced 1 cups small shrimp, peeled and headless 8 crab claws, pre-cooked and cracked 1 cube chicken broth 2 whole shoot lemon grass, diagonally cut 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp fish sauce handful of rice noodle cut into 2-3 pieces dash of ground black pepper Process 1. Heat oil in a large pan; cook onion, garlic and ginger for 2 minutes; meantime chop pre-soked red chili and add 2. Add carrot, chicken broth and lemon grass; add water and bring to boil 3. Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes 4. Add shrimp and crab claw, cook for 3 minutes covered 5. Add soy sauce and fish sauce; add green vegetable and rice noodles, cook another minute or so 6. Remove from heat and sprinkle black pepper. Serve hot.. Variations can be brought in the selection of vegetables, for example, baby corn can be used. 4-6 live mussels can be added at step 2 if desired, rules of cooking mussels apply.

Boiled clam with fresh vegetable

Ingredients 4 fresh clams 2 sticks spring onion 1 bell pepper/capsicum 1 cup grated carrot 2 table spoons soy sauce 2 table spoons olive oil Pinch of salt
Seafood guide and cookbook

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Process 1. Open the clams, dont remove meat. Clean shell and meat with running water. 2. Boil opened clams for 15 minutes. 3. On another pan saunte vegetables with olive oil 3. Add soy sauce and salt to saunte 4. Add the saunte mixture to boiling clams, serve hot.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT, THOUGHT FOR FOOD

Human population of the World has already exceeded 7 billion, exponentially growing from just 2.5 billion in 1950 and from less than 4 billion in 1975. At the current rate of growth it will be over 9 billion soon, before 2050. Bangladesh is having the highest population densities in the world, nearly a thousand people living per square kilometers, about 3 times that of India, 7 times that of China, and 19 times the world average. Population this large requires a huge amount of food to be produced and gathered from the wild putting tremendous pressure on land, water, environment and other species. Securing food for the future generations, at the same time minimizing damages to natural environment and species diversity is a key challenge facing our modern civilizations. We all are part of it, and need to read & think about it, and change the course as necessary regarding the food we eat, the way we collect it, cultivate it, make use of it, and sadly waste it while millions of poor people go sleep hungry every day. While the world's forests and land cannot produce & supply enough food for the growing population, more forests are being clear-cut to make new agricultural lands. To keep up the food supply, world's oceans are now being exploited using high-tech machineries and large ships. Which were considered vast and endless just a few decades ago, the oceans too have now been proved to have limits. Many parts of the world's oceans are now virtually dead - no fish, no more food. Bangladesh is an excellent example of how quickly fishes can go extinct or unavailable, if we don't manage them properly, exploit them sensibly, and eat them responsibly. Many marine fishes and other species are nearly on the brink of extinction due to overexploitation and insensible eating; blue-fin tuna, whales and dolphins, some species of sharks and turtles are globally recognized as threatened. Who says Bangladesh's Hilsa (Ilish) is safe? You can make sure that your children and grand children will still have savory Hilsa dishes years later, only if you choose not to buy & cook Hilsa that are too young (Jtk) or too full with eggs (mother). So, when we say Cook the Ocean we mean to say cook its food sensibly, responsibly and economically, if not frugally. As a restaurant owner/manager, as a chef, as a cooking mom and as an eater/diner it is your responsibility to know where your seafood is coming from, how it is being produced, what environmental damage its exploitation is causing, what alternative choices you have. As a rule of thumb, cultivated fish/shrimp are preferable over wild catches, seafood items at the lower end of the demand chain and more abundant ones should get into your kitchen - not the rare ones, and never the endangered ones. Lobsters are great when you visit St. Martin's Island, but are they available in sufficient numbers to continue for years? This one page cannot tell you every aspect of it, but we would like to stir your thoughtful minds in wanting to know more about responsible eating, and sustainable food sourcing and production.

Cook the Ocean Bangladesh style

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COOKING

Camp
Partners of the initiatives: Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries of the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh Marine research institute IMARES of the Wagengen University of The Netherlands Royal HaskoningDHV of The Netherlands Host partner: Silver Spoon Restaurant, Chittagong

This seafood guide and cookbook is a culmination of a Bangladesh-Netherlands joint effort and is developed during a Seafood Cooking Camp under a broader project called ECOBAS. Read more abput ECOBAS at http://bit.ly/1eI1PtI