Recipes: Chingri Malai Curry and Aloo Posto

"The beauty of Bengali cuisine lies in its ability to balance flavours -- where mustard, coconut, and various spices come together in harmony to create dishes that are both comforting and exciting," says Saurab Paul Chowdhury, who runs Fish Pond, an outlet in Faridabad, providing Bengali takeaway and seafood.

Bengali delicacies "evoke nostalgia and satisfy the palate in unique ways," says Saurab.

On the occasion of Durga Pujo, he offers recipes for Chingri Malai Curry and Aloo Posto.

According to Saurab, Chingri Malai Curry, the iconic Bengali prawn curry, is a "a rich and creamy dish of prawns, cooked in a coconut milk-based gravy, with subtle notes of garam masala and green chilies, offering a delicate sweetness and warmth."

While Aloo Posto is a "vegetarian favourite" and is "potatoes cooked in a thick poppy seed paste that's light, comforting, and typically served with steamed rice."

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• 500 gm medium or large-sized prawns, cleaned and deveined
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder + 1 tsp extra for marinating the prawns
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• 2-3 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 tsp garam masala, optional
• Salt to taste, about 1 tsp
• Sugar to taste, about a pinch

Method

• Marinate the prawns with the turmeric, salt.
  Keep aside for 10 minutes.
• Heat mustard oil in a frying pan or a kadhai and fry the prawns lightly over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side.
  Take off heat and drain the prawns out of the pan and keep aside.
• In the same pan, sauté the onions until translucent over medium heat.
  Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes away.
  Add the turmeric, red chilly powder, green chillies, garam masala and stir.
  Pour in the coconut milk and simmer over low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  Add the fried prawns and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the prawns are tender and the curry thickens.
  Add more salt if required and the sugar to balance the flavours.
• Serve hot with steamed rice.

Aloo Posto

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 tbsp khus khus or poppy seeds
• 2-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• Salt to taste, about 1½ tsp
• Water

Method

• Soak the poppy seeds in a few tbsp water for 15 minutes and then, in a mixer, grind into a smooth paste with the green chillies.
  Keep aside.
• Heat the mustard oil in a frying pan or a kadhai.
  Add the cubed potatoes and sauté with the turmeric, salt.
  When the potatoes are lightly browned, add the poppy seed paste and mix well.
  Add a little water and cover and let the potatoes cook on low heat until soft and tender.
  Stir occasionally.
  Cook until the water evaporates and the poppy seed paste coats the potatoes.
• Serve hot with steamed rice and dal.

Saurab Paul Chowdhury lives in Faridabad, Haryana.