Begun Chingri (Eggplant with Shrimp)

The name of this recipe is plain wrong. Chingri is not without any “গুন".

Keeping aside the regional joke :) this is a favorite recipe from Bangladesh. Eggplant is commonly paired with a variety of seafood, and this is a classic example of that. The mix of using whole prawns along with it’s paste brings out the flavor pretty well.

Ingredients

1. 1 large egg plant cut into medium cubes
2. 1 large onion thinly sliced
3. 1 tsp. garlic paste
4. 4,5 green chilies slit lengthwise
5. 1 medium tomato coarsely chopped
6. 15-20 medium sized prawns cleaned
7. 1 tsp. turmeric powder
8. 1 tbsp red chili powder
9. 1 tsp. nigella seeds
10. Coriander leaves
11. Salt
12. Sugar
13. Mustard oil

Procedure

Smear the prawns with turmeric powder, salt and keep marinated for 15 mins. Heat oil in a pan and fry prawns till they turn golden. Do not over fry the prawns.Otherwise they will turn rubbery. Remove and keep it reserved for later use.

Take half of the fried prawns and make a coarse paste of it.

Temper the same oil with kalonji and wait till it splutters. Add sliced onions and green chilies to it. Fry on medium high heat till they turn light brown. Add turmeric and chili poweder to it.

Add garlic paste and sauté for a while. Throw the eggplant cubes into the pan and mix well with spices. Add chopped tomato to it. Sprinkle salt and sugar to your taste and mix them well.

Cook it covered till the eggplants become soft but not mushy and then add fried prawns along with the prawn paste and mix it well. Wait till the oil starts oozing out from the sides. Remove from heat and finish it off with freshly chopped coriander leaves.