Chingri Bhaape
Prawns steamed in mustard sauce
- Cooking time30 minutes
Calorieskcal
Chingri bhaape is a divine treat, and yet, it is ridiculously simple to make. It incorporates the rich flavours of freshly ground mustard, mellowed down with some coconut and yoghurt. While traditionally this dish has always been prepared in a steamer or double-boiler over a stove, we've used a microwave in this recipe.
This is an ideal dish to have on the menu if you are having guests over. You can prepare most of it (till Step 10 below) ahead of time, and steam the prawns in the microwave oven when the guests are ready to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingredients
Serves
4 servings
- 300 g shelled and deveined prawns (400 g before cleaning)
- 20 g mustard seeds (soaked overnight in water)
- 20 g coconut (chopped)
- 4 pieces green chillies (3 chopped + 1 slit)
- 40 g yoghurt
- 3 g turmeric powder
- 12 g salt
- 15 g sugar
- 25 g mustard oil
Method
- Soak the mustard seeds in hot water for at least 2 hours. Alternatively, you can also soak them in regular water, overnight.
- Shell and devein the prawns. Keep the heads intact; they have all the flavour. The tails add a visual flair, so we keep them as well.
- Strain the mustard seeds and add to a grinder jar, along with the salt and 3 green chillies.
- Blitz into a fine paste with the help of 50 g water. Scrape down the sides as often as you need, and grind again. Repeat this process till you have a smooth paste.
- Now, while the mustard paste is still in the grinder, add the sugar, turmeric powder, and chopped coconut. Blitz again till the coconut breaks down.
- Transfer this paste to a microwave-safe bowl.
- Add in the yoghurt and mix till uniform.
- Fold in the prawns.
- Top off with mustard oil and a slit green chilli.
- Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap.
- Microwave for 5 minutes.
- IF YOU ARE NOT USING A MICROWAVE OVEN, place the prawns-and-mustard mixture in a covered steel container (such as a water-tight tiffin box). Bring an inch of water to boil in your pressure cooker or boiling pot. Now, carefully lower the tiffin box in the water. Be sure to check that the water level does not does not reach the lid of your tiffin box. If it does, throw away some of the water till it clears the lid. Cover up the pot/pressure cooker and allow the prawns to steam (for 10–12 minutes in the boiling pot OR for one whistle in a pressure cooker).
