Bengali Culture and Cuisine

Shrimp Pulao(Chingri Macher Pulao)

A traditional Bengali dish prepared with rice and shrimps with a dash of Bay leaves, Cumin seeds, chopped Onions, Turmeric, Red Chilli, and Coriander leaves. This is the following recipe:-

IngredientsFor Prawn marinade350 gm Banana Prawn - or 15 pieces medium size prawn ~ peeled and deveined2 tsp Ginger – Green chili paste½ tsp Red Chilli powder¼ tsp Bengali Gorom moshlaSalt to tasteFor the rice350 gm Short Grain Rice (Gobindo bhog or Kalijeera) - or 1½ cup3 cups Boiling water1½ tbsp Ginger and green chili paste1 large Red onion - or about 200 gm – sliced10 gm Raisins - or 1 tbsp10 gm Cashews - or 10 pieces2 Bay leaves3 Green cardamons6 cm Cinnamon barks8-10 strands of Saffron2 tbsp Milk - warm⅛ tsp Nutmeg powder½ tsp SugarSalt to taste - I added 1 ½ tsp3 tbsp Ghee¼ cup White Oil4-5 Green Chillies - slitInstructionsPrep workWash the rice a couple of times and then soak it in the water for at least half an hour. Then drain the rice into a sieve.Soak the saffron in warm milk for at least 15 min.Put the ginger and green chilies into the blender, pour water, and try to make a smooth paste.Take peeled, washed prawns in a shallow bowl add ginger-green chili paste, red chili powder, Gorom moshla powder, and salt to taste. Mix everything well and let the prawns marinate for 15 minutes.Take the rice in a mixing bowl, and add 1 tbsp of ghee, ginger-green chili paste, nutmeg powder, and salt to taste. Mix everything well, cover with a lid.CookTake a heavy-duty cooking pot with a lid, set the pot over medium heat, and pour about 2 tbsp of oil.Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low, and add 1tbsp spoon of ghee.Add cashews to the oil and fry over medium heat for a minute to develop a golden color, then with a help of a slotted spoon remove from the oil.Next, add marinated prawns, fry for one or two minutes, then remove from the cooking pot.Add the remaining oil to the cooking pot.Then, add whole spices to the cooking pot, and stir for a few seconds to release the aroma.Add sliced onion and fry till it developed golden brown color. It will take 7-8 minutes. Remove a small portion of fried onion from the oil and spread it on a plate, we will use it for garnish.Then add the rice, over medium heat fry the rice for about 6-7 minutes.Pour boiling water into the rice. Increase the heat to high.When the liquid starts bubbling up, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid. Cook till the rice is almost half cooked.Then add fried cashews, raisins, fried prawns, sugar, and remaining ghee, and give a quick mix.Then, add saffron milk, slit green chilies, and fried onion, and put the lid on.Place a Tawa or iron griddle on the stovetop, once it is hot, place the pot where you cooked the rice.Over medium-low heat continue dum-cooking for 10 -15 minutes. Then turn off the heat.Give 5 minutes of resting time and serve!