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.

Spinach with Sambar Onions

          Spinach as everybody is aware of, is full of iron and has vitamins, proteins and minerals too. So it is considered very healthy and has to be incorporated in our diet as much as possible. You can just stir fry it, have it pureed and made Palak Paneer or can be had, cooked with lentils, to name a few options. 

          Today I decided why not add some sambar onions and prepare a side dish to be had with chapattis for a light dinner. So here is a simple, yet delicious dish prepared in mustard oil and with a tempering of panch phoron a la Bengali style.

• 3-4 bunches of spinach, cleaned & chopped
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. panch phoron
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 10-12 sambar onions
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes

    Heat oil in a pan and temper with panch phoron. After it stops crackling, add the asafoetida, garlic and onions. Sauté for a minute on low flame.

          Add the chopped spinach, salt and turmeric powder. Cover and cook till the moisture is all absorbed. Add the chili flakes and give it a mix. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapatti.