Al Bustan Palace's grilled prawns, garlic tomato concasse

LUXURIOUS DINING The luxurious Al Bustan Palace reopened its door to much anticipation. Kicking the opening in high gear, the Palace has made major changes and upgrades to their restaurants and kitchens to meet the government requirements of the new normal. To allow everyone to taste some of the delicious dishes they have in store for their guests, the busy chefs of the Al Bustan Palace are sharing some of their best menus for everyone to copy at home. DID YOU KNOW? People sometimes mix up prawns and shrimps. To an untrained eye, they look pretty similar. They are after all both decapod crustaceans and belong to the same sub-order with ten legs protected by hard exoskeletons. Except for these similarities, however, shrimps and prawns are two distinct animals with their own characteristics. Prawns lack body segmentation that is seen in shrimps. They also have straighter bodies. One thing not many know about is that shrimps exclusively live in salty marine water while prawns live in fresh or brackish waters. Taste-wise, shrimps are saltier even when unseasoned while prawns are reportedly sweeter. In today’s Cook Like A Chef, Chef Anoob is showcasing an easy to prepare a meal that you can whip up for your family. INGREDIENTS: 3 pieces Prawns U -10 2 tbsp Tomato Concasse 1 no’s Basil Leaves-Torn 1 gms Thyme 2 pcs Cherry tomato(Halved) 2 gms Sliced garlic 4 gms Maldon Sea salt METHOD: Marinate the prawns with salt, pepper, thyme. Leave for a few minutes. Once marinated, grill the prawns until half tender. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the Prawns, garlic, salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the prawns are just done, about 5 minutes. Remove the prawns with a slotted spoon. Add the tomato Concasse and reduce to half. Once the sauce is reduced to half, add the grilled prawns and finish with cherry tomatoes and basil. Serve hot with sautéed asparagus & grilled Cherry tomatoes. HEALTH CHECK: Prawns come in different sizes. The biggest of them is the Jumbo Prawns that are packed with flavour and are best for grilling and adding to salads. Super Large prawns are somewhat smaller in size than the Jumbo prawns. These are perfect for barbecues. The large prawns suggested in this recipe are usually easier to find in Oman and is perfect for a hearty meal.  Prawns are naturally rich in Omega-3 fatty acids that are good for the heart. It is also rich in calcium that is good for the bones and Vitamin B12 that helps combat fatigue, anaemia and even depression. It also has selenium that is an effective antioxidant and Zinc that helps develop a healthy immune system. ABOUT THE CHEF CHEF ANOOB ASHRAF Executive Sous Chef Al Bustan Palace, Muscat Hailing from the Southern part of India, Chef Anoob has developed the passion at a very early age from his father who managed to transform daily meals into something delicious and beautiful. He officially began his culinary journey right after finishing 12th grade and joining a culinary institute. By 18, he was already working for his first job at Le Meridian Hotels. After 3 years, he travelled to Malaysia working for an Indian and Thai restaurant until he decided to join The Oberoi Groups of hotels in India a year later. Further developing his skill for Indian cuisines, he would embark in his Middle East journey in 2008 landing in Jeddah for Rosewood Hotels. He worked with Award-winning French Australian and Moroccan Chefs and also learned a lot about Arabic cuisine and the European Cuisine as well finally becoming a junior sous chef in 2010. He joined The Ritz Calton Hotels in Doha in 2011 as Assitant Chef de Cuisine. He joined Al Bustan Palace in 2015 and from Chef de Cuisine would rise into the ranks and become the Executive Sous Chef for the palace in 2016. From the renovations to the reopening of the Palace, Chef Anoob has been instrumental in rebuilding the entire culinary team. As of today, Chef Anoob also specializes in Fully Buy out Indian Weddings, exclusive weddings, and gala dinners.