Cuisines: Pui Chingri – Malabar Spinach Cooked with Prawns- How to make

 

Pui Chingri – Malabar Spinach Cooked with Prawns

Introduction

Pui Chingri is a beloved traditional Bengali dish made with Malabar spinach (pui shaak) and prawns, often accompanied by vegetables like potatoes and pumpkin. The combination of fresh greens, tender prawns, and aromatic spices cooked in mustard oil gives this dish a rich, rustic flavor that’s comforting and deeply satisfying. It’s typically enjoyed with steamed rice and is especially popular in Bengali households during the monsoon and winter seasons.

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Ingredients

• 1 bunch of Malabar spinach (pui shaak)
• 300 grams of prawns (chingri)
• 2 large potatoes, diced
• ~300 grams of pumpkin, chopped into small cubes
• 1 teaspoon panch phoron (Bengali five-spice mix)
• 3 dry red chilies
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1½ teaspoons red chili powder
• Mustard oil – for cooking
• Salt and sugar – to taste

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Preparation Method

1. Prep the vegetables:

   • Wash and chop the Malabar spinach thoroughly. Soak it in water to remove all dirt.
   • Dice the potatoes and pumpkin and soak them in water to prevent discoloration.

2. Marinate the prawns:

   • Clean the prawns well.
   • Rub them with a pinch of salt and turmeric. Let them rest for a few minutes.

3. Cooking:

   • Heat mustard oil in a kadhai (wok).
   • Fry the marinated prawns until golden. Remove and keep them aside.

4. Tempering:

   • In the same oil, add panch phoron and dry red chilies. Let them splutter on low heat.

5. Add vegetables:

   • Add the diced potatoes and pumpkin. Sauté them well until lightly browned.

6. Add greens:

   • Drain the chopped spinach and add it to the wok. Mix everything thoroughly.

7. Spice it up:

   • Add salt, turmeric, and a bit of sugar. Mix well and cover the wok.
   • Let it cook on medium flame until the vegetables and spinach are well softened.

8. Final step:

   • Once the vegetables are cooked, add the fried prawns. Mix and simmer for a few minutes.
   • Just before removing from heat, drizzle a little mustard oil on top for added aroma.

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Serving Suggestion

Serve Pui Chingri hot with steamed rice. The mustard oil and the umami from the prawns beautifully complement the mild sweetness of pumpkin and the earthy spinach.

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