Chingri diye Panch Mishali Torkari (Bengali Dish cooked in a Moroccan Tagine Pot)

          This is a traditional mixed vegetable curry. Panch Mishali means 5 veggies, so any 5 veggies can be added. I used chopped bottle gourd, red pumpkin, raw papaya, eggplants and radish. I cooked with prawns for added flavour. For a veg. version, vadis (dried lentil dumplings) can be added.

          This dish is a very common recipe cooked in almost every Bengali household. Sometimes, fried fish head replaces prawns and vadi. This time, I experimented it by cooking the same in a Tagine Pot. It is mostly cooked in its own steam, so not much water is needed to add. The best thing is, it can be served in the pot itself. Relish it as a side dish with either rice or chapatis. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup prawns, 
• 2 long eggplants, chopped
• 1 small raddish, chopped
• 1/2 of a small bottlegourd, chopped
• 250 gms. red pumpkin, chopped
• 1/2 of a small raw papaya, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek & nigella seeds)
• 1 onion, sliced
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin  powder
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a Tagine Pot and saute the prawns for a minute or till they changes colour. Drain and keep aside.

          Add the cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and panch phoron. After it stops spluttering, add the onions and saute till light brown.

          Add the chopped veggies, salt, green chilies, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Give it a mix and add the fried prawns and 1/4 cup water.

          Cover with the Tagine Pot lid and cook on a low flame for 15 minutes or till the veggies are soft and the gravy thick. If required sprinkle water at intervals.

          Add ghee and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                    Heat oil in a Tagine Pot & saute prawns for a minute. Drain & keep aside.

                    Temper same oil with cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & panch phoron.

                                 Add onion & fry till light brown.

                               Add veggies, green chilies, salt & turmeric powder. Mix well.

                                  Add roasted cumin powder, followed by the .......

                                 ........fried prawns. 

                      Add 1/4 cup water. Cover & cook till done. Sprinkle water if needed.

                            When done, add ghee & serve, garnished with coriander leaves.