Kumro Shaag / Shaak Chingri Chorchori (Pumpkin Leaves cooked with Mixed Veggies & Prawns - Bong Style)

 

          This is a traditional Bengali style curry made with pumpkin leaves and few tender twigs. A whole lot of mixed veggies and some prawns are added to make this simple and delicious recipe. It is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch.

          I added some ghee to the end product to enhance the flavor. For a vegetarian version, substitute the prawns with mangoidi (dried lentil dumplings). This yummy side dish is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong delicacy.

• 3-4 cups pumpkin leaves & tender twigs washed, drained & chopped
• A cup each of mixed veggies (pumpkin, French beans, cauliflower, radish, eggplant, parwal), chopped lengthwise
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, fenugreek, cumin & nigella seeds)
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 10-12 prawns, deveined & cleaned
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. wheat / plain / gram flour mixed with 1/4 cup water to make a slurry
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan / kadai and sauté the prawns till it changes colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and temper with panch phoron, bay leaves and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the French Beans, Parwal (Pointed Gourd), cauliflower, radish and turmeric powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

          Now add the pumpkin, eggplant, green chilies and grated ginger. Mix everything well and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

          Then add salt, coriander powder and cumin powder. Give it a stir and add the chopped greens along with the twigs. Combine everything well and cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle some water and keep stirring at intervals. 

          When almost done, add the fried prawns and the slurry. Stir fry for a minute more and add the ghee. Give it a toss and keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. Serve as a side dish with hot steamed rice or chapattis. 

                                 Choose the tender leaves and twigs for this recipe.

                      Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté the prawns till it changes colour. keep aside. 

 

                        Heat remaining oil & temper with panch phoron, bay leaves & dry red 

                        chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                         Add French Breans, Parwal, cauliflower, radish & turmeric powder. 

                         Sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

                     Add the pumpkin, eggplant, green chilies & grated ginger. Mix well and

                     stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

                           Then add salt, coriander powder & cumin powder. Give it a stir.

                     Add the chopped greens & the twigs. Mix well & cook, covered on a low 

                      flame. Sprinkle some water and keep stirring at intervals. 

     

                                  When almost done, add the fried prawns....

                                  and the slurry. Stir fry for a minute more....

                           and add the ghee. Give it a toss & keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. 

                                  Serve as a side dish with hot steamed rice or chapattis. 

Pui Shaag Chingri Chorchori (Malabar Spinach Prawn Curry - Bong style)

          This is a mish mash of veggies and Pui Shaag (Malabar Spinach) cooked with prawns in a Bong style. For a vegetarian version, substitute the prawns with fried vadi (dried lentil dumplings) and it will taste just as yummy. As greens contain a lot of iron, vitamins and calcium, it is recommended to include in our daily diet. 

          A little bit of mustard oil along with kasundi (Bengali mustard sauce) added to the end product gives this dish an authentic Bong touch. It is best relished with hot steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy and simple homemade style curry.

• 3-4 long stems of Pui Shaag / Malabar spinach
• 1/2 cup prawns, cleaned & deveined
• 1-2 long eggplant, cut lengthwise
• 8-10 broad beans, cut into half
• 1 med. radish, cut lengthwise
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek & nigella (kalonji) seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1" ginger, grated
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tbsp. mustard paste (kasundi)
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil (opt)

          Wash the leaves well under running water and drain. Chop them along with the tender stems. keep aside. 

          Heat mustard oil in a pan and fry the prawns for a minute. Keep aside. Temper the same oil  with panch phoron, bay leaves, red chili and green chili. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Then add the chopped veggies, followed by the ginger and all the dry spices (except salt). Stir fry till light brown.

           Now add the chopped greens and salt. Mix well and cook, covered till half done. Add the fried prawns and continue to cook till done and all the moisture has evaporated.

           Add the mustard paste and mustard oil. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Serve with hot steamed rice for a comfort Bong meal.


Note - 
You can also add potatoes and pumpkin. I skipped them for health reason...

                                Heat mustard oil & fry prawns for a minute. Keep aside. 

                     Temper same oil with panch phoron, bay leaves, red chili & green chili. 
                     Sauté for a few seconds.

                                Then add the chopped veggies.

                             Add ginger & all dry spices (except salt). Sauté till light brown.

                                Add greens & salt. Mix well & cook, covered till half done. 

                      Add fried prawns & cook till done & all the moisture has evaporated.

                                Add the mustard paste and .....

                                 ...... mustard oil. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. 

                             Serve with hot steamed rice for a comfort Bong meal.

Dal Chingri (Lentil with Prawns - Bengali Style)

          Dal means lentil and Chingri means prawns in the Bengali lingo. So this is a simple and a traditional recipe that is so easy to prepare. Here I have used masoor dal (red lentils) to prepare this traditional delicacy. But you can also cook with roasted moong dal. It is best enjoyed with only hot steamed rice. So do give it a try by checking the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy and wholesome weekend delicacy.

          The recipe source is from a cookery show that I watched sometime back. I found the recipe quite interesting and unique, in the sense that I have never cooked masoor dal with prawns. So it was something new to me and I wanted to give it a try. 


          But I gave my twist to the recipe by omitting green peas, sugar, garam masala & ghee. Instead, added some chopped coriander leaves and raw mustard oil to the end product. Wow!! it turned out just perfect.

• 1/2 cup masoor dal (red lentils) soaked for an hour
• 1/2 cup prawns
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder or to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the prawns with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry them till light golden in color. Keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with cumin seeds and bay leaves. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Saute till light brown. 

           Add the soaked & drained dal and saute for 2 minutes. Now add all the dry spices (except salt) and mix well.

          Add 1 & 1/2 cups water, salt and the fried prawns. Cover and simmer till it turns thick and done. Switch off the flame. 

          Add the coriander leaves and the remaining oil and give it a stir. Keep covered for 2 minutes and then serve with hot steamed rice. 

                      Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry marinated Prawns till light golden. Keep aside. 

                      Temper the same oil with cumin seeds & bay leaves. 

                      Add onion, ginger, garlic & green chilies. Saute till light brown. 

                      Add soaked & drained dal & saute for 2 minutes. Now add all dry
                      spices (except salt) & mix well.

                     Add 1 & 1/2 cups water, salt & the fried prawns. Cover & simmer till it 
                      turns thick & done. Switch off the flame. 

                    Add coriander leaves & remaining oil & give it a stir. Cover for 2 min.

                                Serve with hot steamed rice. 

Chingri diye Aloo Potoler Dalna (Parwal / Pointed Gourd Prawns Curry - Bong style)

          Potol (Parwal / Pointed Gourd) cooked with potatoes and prawns is a traditional and a favorite dish among most Bengalis. It is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic flavor and is served with either hot steamed rice, chapati or poori. For a vegetarian version, bodi (dried lentil dumplings) is added instead of prawns. A tsp. of ghee to the end product enhances the flavor of the curry. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bengali delicacy.

• 10-12 Potol (Parwal/Pointed Gourd), scraped & chopped into roundels 
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1/2 cup prawns, deveined & cleaned
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 2-3 fresh chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil and fry the prawns till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. In the same oil fry the potato and parwals separately till light brown. Keep aside.

          Heat the remaining oil and temper with the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chili powder mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the oil separates from the sides of the pan.

          Now add the fried parwals, potatoes, prawns, slit chilies and salt to taste. Mix everything well and stir fry for 2 minutes. 

          Add 2 cups water and simmer, covered on a low flame till the gravy thickens and the parwals turns soft.

          Add tomato and garam masala powder. Cover and cook further for 2 minutes. When done, add ghee and mix well. Switch off the flame. 

          Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with either plain steamed rice, chapati or poori.

                      Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry prawns till golden brown. Drain & keep aside. 

                        In the same oil fry the potato and 

                       parwals separately till light brown. Keep aside.

                     Heat remaining oil & temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, 
                     cloves & cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                     Add ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder 
                     & red chili powder mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till oil separates.

                      Add fried parwals, potatoes, prawns, slit chilies & salt to taste. Mix
                      well and stir fry for 2 minutes. 

                     Add 2 cups water & simmer, covered on a low flame till gravy thickens 
                     & parwals turns soft.

                      Add tomato & garam masala powder. Cover & cook for 2 minutes. 

                       When done, add ghee & mix well. Switch off the flame. 

                    Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with either steamed rice, chapati 
                    or poori.