Bhapa Chingri ( Steamed Prawn in Mustard and Coconut)

This is a popular and traditional recipe from Bengal. I have seen my mother make the same dish. In those days, it was a cumbersome process of steaming in a tiffin box tucked inside a pressure cooker partially filled with water. All that rigmarole is now gone thanks to the Microwave. This is sort of a delicacy and given the minimal effort involved, for me this an ideal choice for entertaining guests. Be sure to soak the mustard in warm water for a minimum period of thirty minutes or even overnight. This removes the strong pungent flavour of mustard when steamed, yet retaining the essence of the spicy mouthfeel. Always remember to add some salt and a couple of green chilies while grinding the mustard so that the paste doesn’t taste bitter. This is super critical to making the perfect Shorshe Bhapa. An all-time favourite at my home, I would recommend the Steamed Mustard Prawn to all those who love a zest for the spicy blast of mustard. Happy fooding around.

Bhapa Chingri ( Steamed Prawn in Mustard and Coconut)

★★★★ 3.4 from 314 reviews

• Author: Reetika Mitra
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

A Bengali Classic

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 700 gms large Prawns
• 2 Tbsp Black Mustard seeds
• 2 Tbsp Yellow Mustard seeds
• 3 or 4 Tbsp Yogurt
• 1/2 cup finely grated coconut
• 1 Tsp Turmeric
• 1/3 cup Mustard Oil
• 1 cup Water
• A few Green Chillies
• Salt to taste

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Instructions

1. Clean, devein and remove the shell.
2. Grind the mustard along with salt and green chillies in a blender. Blend them till they feel smooth to the touch. Now add the finely grated coconut and turmeric to the blender and blend together with the mustard.
3. Transfer the blended mustard -coconut paste to a microwave proof dish. Add the yoghurt and the mustard oil. Blend all together with a spatula or simply with your hands. Now add the raw prawns and the green chillies. Give a final toss to coat them well in the mustard-coconut-yoghurt paste. I often use my hand to do this instead of any spoon or spatula as I feel the fingers can penetrate through better and mix well and evenly.
4. Once done cover with a lid or cling film and microwave it on high for 5 mins.
5. Serve hot with some steamed rice.

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Notes

If you do not like the pungency of the mustard, it’s a good idea to soak the seed in warm water for 30 mins or so before grinding.  You can even soak it overnight. This helps in taming the strong pungent taste of the mustard without making it flat. The yellow mustard isn’t as hot as their black counterparts. So, another way to decrease the pungency would bed increase the proportion of the yellow mustard seeds as against the black ones.