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- A mishmash with Malabar spinach and shrimps
- Different cuts - different Bengali curries - a note
- Recipes using Pui Shag aka Malabar Spinach
- Finally the Pui Chingri Ghonto!
- Recipe Card
- A few traditional Bengali Side Dishes From Debjanir Rannaghar apart from Pui Chingri Ghonto!
- Have you tried the Pui Chingri Ghonto Recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Here's the Bengali Pui Chingri Ghonto Recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board!
A mishmash with Malabar spinach and shrimps
My mom's voice rang out, "Are we having the Pui Chingri Ghonto for dinner too? If so, then I'm skipping it!" She was clearly frustrated with me, though I knew the reason behind her irritation. For over an hour, I had been carefully arranging and photographing the Pui Chingri Ghonto in several bowls, eager to capture the perfect shot.
Maa had grown tired of seeing the same dish over and over, and she was not pleased with my antics. After all, it was already 2:30 pm, and everyone, including Pasta, was waiting to sit down for the Sunday lunch. There was an even more worrying aspect - I had placed the food on my bed to get the right photographs, which had horrified Maa.
In truth, I was quite excited about some new aluminum utensils I had purchased a month earlier. I wanted to use these traditional vessels, still commonly used in my mother's home for boiling milk, to shoot the homely and comforting Pui Chingri Ghonto. The humble yet delicious Bengali dish had proven irresistible as a subject for my culinary photography.
A delightful Bengali-style blend, featuring the vibrant flavors of Malabar spinach, potatoes, pumpkin, onions, ginger, garlic, and juicy medium-sized prawns. The name "Pui Chingri Ghonto" may raise eyebrows, as it does not explicitly mention the inclusion of potatoes and pumpkin. Additionally, you may wonder why the dish is referred to as a "Ghonto" rather than a "Chorchori."
Different cuts - different Bengali curries - a note
Ghonto and Chorchori are two distinct dishes in Bengali cuisine. While Ghonto is a type of vegetable medley, Chorchori is characterized by larger, chunkier vegetable pieces. In Bengali cooking, the size and shape of the vegetable cuts are crucial-a Dalna cut differs from a Shukto cut, which in turn differs from the cuts used in Ghonto or Chorchori.
The renowned Bengali cookbook "Niramish o Amish Ranna" by Prajnasundari Devi provides valuable insights into these nuanced vegetable preparations and the distinctions between various Bengali side dishes.
Recipes using Pui Shag aka Malabar Spinach
Though often associated with fish or seafood dishes, Bengali cuisine also boasts delectable vegetarian options, thanks to the versatile Malabar spinach, or Pui Saag. Dishes like Chanchra, Pui Saag diye Masoor Daal, Chingri diye Pui Metuli Chorchori, and the one I'm sharing here, Pui Chingri Ghonto, all prominently feature this flavorful green.
Finally the Pui Chingri Ghonto!
Pui Chingri Ghonto is a Bengali-style vegetable medley prepared with Malabar spinach and other vegetables, along with succulent prawns. The traditional tempering of Panch Phoron makes the dish even more authentic. Serve it with a few spoonfuls of rice and a bowl of dal for a truly satisfying meal.
The spicy and indulgent dish calls for the robust flavor of mustard oil, while the combination of Malabar spinach and prawns can be quite substantial. This is why it is often not the preferred choice for an evening meal. Similarly, greens like Shaag are not commonly prepared for dinner in Bengali homes.
Now, let's delve into the steps to make the delectable Pui Chingri Ghonto.
Recipe Card
Pui Chingri Ghonto aka Malabar Spinach Mishmash with Prawns (with Potato and Pumpkin)
Pui Chingri Ghonto aka Malabar Spinach Mishmash with Prawns (with Potato and Pumpkin) is a Bengali-style mishmash prepared with Greens and Prawns.
Ingredients
- 250 g Medium Sized Prawns cleaned and deveined
- 1 bunch Pui Saag/ Malabar Spinach
- 3 Potato
- 200 g Pumpkin
- 1 Tomato
- 2 Onion
- 1 Tbsp. Garlic Paste
- ½ Tbsp. Ginger Paste
- 3-4 Green Chili
- ½ Tsp. Panch Phoron Powder/ Bengali Five Spices Powder
- 1 Tsp. Sugar
- 1 Tsp. Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tsp. Salt or to taste
- 3 Tbsp. Mustard Oil + 1 Tsp.
Tempering
- 1 Tsp. Panch Phoron/ Bengali Five Spices
- 1 Dry Red Chili
Instructions
- Wash and clean the Prawns keeping the tail intact.
- Marinate prawns with ½ Tsp. Turmeric Powder, and Salt.
- Wash Malabar Spinach aka Pui Saag several times under running water and cut the stems into long strips.
- Cut the leaves roughly.
- Peel the potato skin and cut the potatoes into small cubes.
- Peel the skin of the Pumpkin and cut it into small cubes as well.
- Cut Onion and tomato roughly.
- Now heat the oil in a pan.
- Fry the Prawns and strain from the oil.
- Now Fry the Potatoes as well till those turn golden brown in color.
- Temper remaining oil with Dry Red Chili and Panch Phoron.
- Add Onion and fry till those turn translucent. Don't fry onions much.
- Now add chopped tomato, ginger and garlic paste, and green chili and cook till the raw aroma of the veggies oozes out.
- Add Turmeric Powder, Panch Phoron Powder, Sugar, and Salt and mix thoroughly.
- At this point add the Malabar Spinach, fried potatoes, and Pumpkin and give a thorough mix.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook till the veggies soften on low flame.
- The Greens will release moisture which will be enough to cook the dish. No need to add extra water.
- Once done, add friend prawns and again cover the pan and cook for 5 more minutes.
- The end product should be a little mussy.
- Add 1 Tsp. of Mustard oil to finish the dish.
- Serve it hot with Steamed Rice and Daal.
Notes
- Panch Phoron Powder is optional, however, gives both aroma and flavor to the dish.
- You may substitute mustard oil with vegetable oil, however, Mustard oil gives the perfect punch to the dish.
- You may skip Sugar.
- Pumpkin can be skipped.
- Last but not the least, instead of Prawns Shrimps can also be used.
Nutrition
A few traditional Bengali Side Dishes From Debjanir Rannaghar apart from Pui Chingri Ghonto!
- Macher Teler Chorchori aka Fish Fat (and Fish liver & Intestine) Mishmash with Potatoes and Eggplant
- Mochar Ghonto Narkel ar Bhaja Bori diye (also known as Bengali Banana Blossom Curry)
- Katoya Data Chorchori (also known as Bengali Style Mix-veg with Drumsticks)
- Bengali Mete Chorchori (also known as Mutton Liver side with Potato chunks)
- Search muri Muri Ghonto (also known as Bengali Fish Head and Rice Mishmash)
- Posto Diye Laushak Bhate (also known as Bengali Bottle Gourd leaves Mash with Poppyseed Paste)
- Bengali Macher Matha diye Bhaja Muger Dal (also known as Macher Muro Diye Dal)
- Sheemer Jhal (also known as Bengali Shorshe Sheem | Broad Bean Curry with Mustard Paste)
- Doi Murgi (also known as Kolkata style Doi Chicken | Bengali Curd-based Chicken Curry Recipe)
- Paneer er Dalna (also known as Niramish Paneer Er Torkari)
- Pork Jhol (also known as) Bengali Pork Curry (with Aloo!)
- Bengali Mutton Stew with Veggies in a pressure cooker (also known as Shobji diye Mangshor Jhol)
- Bengali Keema Curry (also known as Mutton Mincemeat Curry with Potato) Chunks
- Panch Phoron Murgi (also known as Bengali Chicken Curry with Panch Phoron)
- Kumror Chakka
- Dimer Dalna (also known as Bengali Egg Curry with Potato)
Have you tried the Pui Chingri Ghonto Recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Do let me know how it came out. Also, I would love to see a picture of the same which you can share here at [email protected]. On Instagram, you can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar or tag me at @foodofdebjani.
You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for updates and recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar.
Here's the Bengali Pui Chingri Ghonto Recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board!
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.
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