Lau Chingri Jhol | Prawn Curry with Bottle gourd

Pujo season is around the corner and we are ready for the 'Hoi-Choi' with full-on festive mood. And festivals go hand in hand with a number of tasty delicacies that we start planning prior to the onset of Pujo as what needs to be prepared on which day. There are a number of recipes in the Bengali cuisine that are often prepared during the festivals and most of which are non-veg delights. Of course, when we talk about the non-veg prep, we think of meat, fish, eggs which are in common everywhere.

One such popular non-veg recipe is the 'Lau Chingri', which is considered as the star of the Bengali dishes to a great extent. Lau Chingri is a classic Bengali dish prepared with prawns and bottle gourd. This simple yet surprisingly satisfying soul food from the Bengal Cuisine is a light dish, often prepared as a thick gravy or without gravy. However, the recipe which I'm sharing today will be the curry version of this popular 'Lau Chingri' dish.

Therefore today's dish is named as 'Lau Chingri Jhol'. We call curry as 'Jhol' that is veggies or fishes cooked in a light broth with other tel, jhal, masalas. Tel means an oil which we preferably use a mustard oil because the pungent smell gives an extra taste and aroma to the fishes or veggies cooked together. Jhal means fiery red, hot and spicy dishes cooked with a whole lot of Indian spices. We Bengalis love our recipes with tel, jhal, masalas and 'Lau Chingri' is a quintessential recipe for this festive season.

Lau Chingri Curry is one of my absolute favourite dishes and it is best combined with hot steamed rice topped with ghee(clarified butter), some fried Badi and lemon juice. This 'Lau Chingri Curry' is my mom's version of the recipe, and I've also shared another Lau Chingri without gravy which was from my Aunt's follow-up recipe.

You may also like other non-veg recipes for the upcoming festivals Bhapa Shorshe Ilish  Rohu Fish Eggs Curry  Bata Pona MaacherJhaal  Tilapia Fish  Shorshe Maach  Chicken Curry with Potato/ Mangsher Jhol  Lemony Chicken Curry  Rohu Fish Eggs Fry  Rui Fish with Cauliflower  'Dum Biryani  Carrot Greens Bhurji. Find the full recipe of 'Lau Chingri Jhol' with pictures below-

Lau Chingri Jhol | Prawn Curry with Bottle gourd

[Non-Veg]

Author: Paromita.P

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes (approx)

Recipe Type: Curry

Course: Main dish

Cuisine: Indian/Bengali

Serves: 4

Measuring Items: 1 cup=150 ml; Teaspoon (tsp)

Tips: Do not over fry the prawns, just slightly toss them in hot oil for 2 to 4 minutes. 

Ingredients:

1. Prawns- 250 grams
2. Lao/Bottlegourd- 1
3. Potato- 5
4. Onion- 2 (large sized)
5. Tomato- 4
6. Green chilli- 8 (small sized)
7. Ginger- an inch
8. Garlic- 1 whole (small size)

Spices:

1. Mustard oil- 1 cup
2. Panch Phoran- 1 Tsp
3. Red Mirchi powder- 2 Tsp
4. Turmeric powder- 1 Tsp
5. Sugar- 1 Tsp
6. Salt - according to taste (approx 4 tsp)
7. Cumin powder (Jeera powder)- 1.5 Tsp

Method:

How to prepare ‘Lau Chingri Jhol’ with step by step pictures and instructions-

1. Wash and clean the prawns thoroughly with water. Marinade with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for about 15 minutes.
   
2. Chop the required vegetables in the desired shape or as shown in the picture. Grind or mince ginger-garlic. Slit the green chilies in between.
   
3. Now heat oil in a frying pan, fry the prawns until they turn golden brown in color.
   
4. Remove the fried prawns from the pan, add the remaining oil in the pan and put panch phoran and let them splutter.
   
5. Then add sliced onions, green chilies and fry them till golden.
   
6. Now add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, 1 tsp mirchi pwdr and salt. Mix well.
   
7. Once the oil starts leaving by the sides of the pan, add cubed potatoes and bottle gourd. Cover the pan's lid and cook the veggies.
   
8. After 5 minutes add another 1 tsp red Mirchi powder and keep stirring in between till the veggies are cooked well.
   
9. Now add the fried prawns and mix. Finally, add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.
   

Lau Chingri Jhol is ready to be served with a plateful of steamed rice and other fried veggies. Try this simple yet soul-satisfying delight and get enthral in the festive mood. Hope you'll have done with your Pujo Shopping by now, excited and waiting for the Pujo which is just 10 days away!! Till then enjoy cooking, serving and eating!!

Paromita Pramanick ©2018. All Rights Reserved.