Aloo Chingrir Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal is a simple Bengali prawn curry with potatoes, flavored with mustard.
At the home front..
After a year away, the man of the house was finally home! The lady of the house could finally talk face-to-face, instead of through a screen. Just then, the baby of the house started chanting "Narod Narod," like a little spark adding excitement to the reunion! After so long, the apartment truly felt like a home again. The husband, missing home cooking from his time in Saudi, requested a comforting meal. So, I decided to make a simple Bengali meal with rice and "Macher Jhal" - in this case, Aloo Chingrir Shorshe bata diye Jhal.
Light Prawn Curry and why
To go perfectly with warm rice, I made a light, runny prawn and potato curry. Since I was recovering from a slipped disk and my doctor advised me to rest, I hadn't been cooking much lately.
I prefer cooking simple meals and often choose comforting dishes.
Speaking of comfort food, nothing satisfies my Bengali soul more than making the dishes I enjoyed while growing up in my North Kolkata home. A few days ago, I made Aloo Chingrir Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal for lunch - a simple, light curry made with prawns, potatoes, and mustard paste.
This dish, also known as Aloo Chingrir Jhal, is a family favorite. We used to eat it at least twice or even three times a month at my ancestral home. My aunt, Mamoni, was probably the best at making it for the whole family. The recipe needs some basic ingredients, along with medium-sized prawns or shrimp, and potatoes. I still remember enjoying a bowl of Mamoni's Aloo Chingrir Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal with hot rice, whether I was rushing through lunch during my university days or even when I was a child!
Comfort Prawn Curry - Aloo Chingrir Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal
Back then, our large family didn't have fancy meals often, but the simple dishes my mother and aunts made were incredibly delicious. What we lacked in prawn quantity, we made up for with flavorful curry. Potatoes helped stretch 500 grams of prawns to feed fifteen people! I learned as much as I could from them, and I often try to recreate those dishes in my own kitchen, not just to enjoy traditional Bengali food, but also to relive wonderful childhood memories.
Instructions
When making Aloo Chingrir Shorshe bata diye Jhal, I like to use peeled prawns or shrimp. That's why I used frozen shrimp when we lived in Gurgaon. Now that we're in Kolkata, fresh prawns are easy to find at the local market, so I naturally choose those. This curry is mustard-based, so you can use either mustard paste or mustard powder, though I prefer fresh mustard paste.
Enjoy it with a side of fluffy, hot steamed rice.
Related
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Recipe Card
Aloo Chingrir Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal (A light curry with Prawn and Potato Wedges)
Aloo Chingrir Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal, a light mustard-based curry with Prawn and potato
Ingredients
- 250 g Prawn Medium sized, cleaned, de-vein, and de-shelled
- 3 Potato Medium size
- 2 Tomato Medium size
- 4-5 Green Chili
- 2 tablespoon Mustard Seed
- 1 teaspoon Nigella Seed/ Kalojire
- 2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 3 tablespoon Mustard Oil + 1 Tsp.
Instructions
- Make a paste of Mustard Seed by adding little salt and water.
- Now mix a cup full of water with the Mustard Paste and using a strainer strain the liquid to discard the husk. Keep it aside.
- Peel Potatoes and cut them into medium-thick wedges and rub some turmeric Powder.
- Chop Tomatoes and slit green chilies.
- Wash and clean Prawns and de-shell and de-vein those.
- Rub clean Prawns with some Turmeric Powder and Salt and leave for 10 minutes.
- Heat Oil in a Pan and fry Potatoes on medium flame till potatoes soften.
- Strain fried potatoes from oil and keep fried potatoes aside.
- In the remaining oil fry Prawns in medium flame and remove from the oil.
- Now temper remaining oil with Nigella seed.
- Add chopped tomato and slit green chili to the tempering and cook for 2-3 minutes in medium flame till tomato softens.
- Now add Mustard paste to the tempering along with Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder, and Salt.
- Add 2 Cup water and bring it to boil.
- Now add fried potato wedges and fried prawns to the curry
- Cook for around 6-7 minutes on low flame.
- Add water in between to adjust the level of curry.
- Aloo Chingrir Shorshe bata diye Jhal is typically served with curry on the thinner side. However, you may adjust the level based on your preference.
- Drizzle some Mustard Oil before removing the curry from the heat.
- Serve Aloo Chingrir Shorshe bata diye Jhal with hot steamed rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Let's connect over traditional Bengali shorshe Aloo Chingri Recipe
I would love to see a picture if you are making the prawns following my recipe. You can share here at [email protected]. You can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and share it through Instagram as well. and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.
Bengali Mustard-based Prawn Curry Recipe Pin for You
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
Leila Sen says
Looking forward to trying your recipes. Thank you.
Leila Sen says
If using mustard powder instead of ground mustard paste, how much powder would one use? Thanks.
Debjani says
Use 1-1.5 tbsp mustard powder, depending on how pungent you want the dish to be.