Pui Chingri(Malabar Spinach with Shrimp)

Pui Chingri:

Pui Saag or Malabar Spinach is a leafy green vegetable that holds a significant place in the Bengalis food list. In my luncheon menu, Pui saag has an essential place hence my husband loves it too much. Maa used to cook it in several ways, with bori(dry lentils dumpling) and vegetables, with Hilsa fish head and last and best with small chingri/shrimp. In Bengali culinary fish are often used with vegetables. Bengali and fish are inseparable relations. The tragedy is when Pui saag is stacked in my freezer I don't have good shrimp, and again when I found good shrimp Pui saag is not available at the market. Last weekend that tragic story ends as I made Pui Chingri after a long time. With steamed hot white rice, I devour my portion, satisfied, delighted and so on... Presenting Pui Chingri in Bengali way from my kitchen to yours.

Course- Side dish

Cuisine - Bengali

Author - Usashi Mandal

Serving - 4 

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Cooking time - 30 minutes

Some other Bengali Side dishes:
Lau r Khosa Bata
Lau r khosa Bhaja
Boal macher matha diye Chal Kumror Ghanta
Aar macher jhal
Helencha Saag r bora

Kumro Saag r chorchori

Ingredients:

1 lbs/500 gm of Pui leaves/Malabar Spinach
1 cup diced sweet pumpkin
1/2 cup diced sweet potato
1/2 cup diced eggplant
6 green chilies cut lengthwise
1 cup medium-size shrimp(washed and peeled)
2 tsp Paanch Foran(cumin, fenugreek, mustard, fennel, radhuni seeds blend)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp mustard oil
2 dry red chili
Salt for seasoning

Instructions:

Step 1:

1. For making Pui Chingri first we start with washing Pui leaves. Wash two times in running water and then drain all the water in a strainer.

2. Cut the stem and good leaves in medium pieces. Discard torn and yellow leaves and hard edges of stems.

3. Wash all the vegetables and diced them. Keep aside.

4. Peel and wash the shrimp and pat dry in a kitchen towel then rub turmeric powder and salt on it.

Step 2:

1. Heat oil in a Kadhai, fry marinated shrimp on it for 2 minutes. Frying for a long time make shrimp meat rubbery and chewy. Drain in a kitchen towel.

2. In the same oil add Paanch Foran and dry red chilies. Roast for a while then add chopped onions fry until translucent. Then add garlic paste. Fry for a bit and add all vegetables except Pui leaves. 

3. After vegetables are tender add Pui leaves, green chilies, salt, turmeric powder, sugar and give a nice stir to incorporate all vegetables. Add fried shrimp and cook until vegetables are done and oil separates in Kadhai. Check the seasoning.

4. Serve Pui Chigri with hot steamed rice as a side dish.

Hope you will love the dish, try and pour your comments on how it came out.

Happy Cooking:)





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