Hello friends! How are you all? I wish you a happy and prosperous life.
Today, I am going to share a very common Bangladeshi recipe with you: Choto Chingri Bhuna (stir-fried small shrimp). Shrimp is essentially a type of seafood. The Bay of Bengal is located to the south of Bangladesh; in its salty waters, one can find large shrimp, known as Golda Chingri (giant freshwater prawn) and Bagda Chingri (tiger shrimp). However, since I live in the northern part of Bangladesh—where the land is mostly elevated and there are only a few rivers, with no sea nearby—large shrimp are often unavailable, even when we would like to have them. In our local markets, we mostly find small shrimp. These are cultivated in nearby ponds, and the local people refer to them as "Isla fish."
Stir-fried small shrimp is a truly delicious dish. When cooked with onions and tomatoes, these small shrimp take on a flavor somewhat reminiscent of meat, and they have a very enticing aroma. This dish pairs wonderfully with rice or paratha. So, let’s take a look at how to prepare it and what ingredients you will need.
Ingredients 📃
● 50g small shrimp
● ½ cup onion paste
● ½ cup tomato paste
● 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
● 1½ teaspoons salt
● 1 teaspoon chili powder
● 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
● 1 teaspoon cumin paste
Preparation 👩🍳
First, marinate the prawns well with salt, chili powder, and turmeric. Next, heat a little oil in a pan and lightly fry the prawns. Be careful not to overcook them, as they will become tough; a light fry is sufficient. Remove the prawns from the pan, and in the same oil, add onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, and cumin paste. Sauté these for a while until the raw smell of the onion, ginger, and garlic fades away. Then, add tomato paste, turmeric, salt, and chili powder, and stir well. Once the oil begins to separate from the mixture, add some water. After a short while, when bubbles start to form, give it a gentle stir. Once the water has evaporated and the oil surfaces again, add the fried prawns and mix everything thoroughly. Give it a quick stir, then remove from the heat.
And there you have it—the prawn bhuna (stir-fry) is ready to be served! It pairs perfectly with paratha or steamed rice. Since the prawns are kept juicy rather than overcooked and tough, they taste absolutely delicious. I hope you enjoyed this post! Stay connected with me for more new recipes. Wishing everyone good health.