Chingri Bhape -Steamed Prawns in Mustard Sauce (Pressure Cooker Method)

Bhapa chingri is the ultimate delicacy which doesn't need any special reason to happen. Just on a lazy afternoon when I don't feel like making anything elaborate for myself I keep looking for some prawns in my fridge. Don't frown upon seeing the red chillies and mustard oil quantity as it is supposed to be hot and delicious. 

The delicate prawns are steamed in a way that it soaks up the juices of mustard, poppy seeds but still retains it's softness.  The beauty of this dish is that it tastes absolutely sublime keeping the nutritional values intact. I do not want to run into paragraphs complimenting this dish and leave it to you, my blogger friends and readers to try it out yourself. I guarantee that you would relish this dish and remember it for a long time. 

Ingredients:
500 gms Prawns (medium sized) cleaned
Pinch of turmeric 
Salt to taste
5-6 Green chillies, slit

For the paste: (Ground to Paste)
3 tbsp Yellow mustard seeds (dip in warm water for 20 minutes alongwith 1/2 tsp Vinegar and pinch of salt) My Mom does this to tone down the bitterness of mustard seeds.)
1 tbsp Poppy seeds (dipped in a small glass for 10 minutes)
2 tbsp grated Coconut
3-4 small green chillies which are real HOT 
Salt to taste

1 1/2 tbsp Hung curd * BongMom's Sandeepa once shared this great tip to add curd in this recipe for the extra thick gravy. I now add it sometimes...Thank you dear
4 tbsp Mustard oil

Method:
Marinate the prawns with salt and little turmeric for 10-15 minutes. Keep aside.
To make the Sorshe Bata: you need to grind mustard seeds, poppy seeds, chillies, grated coconut and salt till you get a smooth paste. Sprinkle little water in between if you feel the paste is too thick. But ideally the paste should not have much water in it. We have Sheel Nora -grinding stone a very traditional way to make these kind of smooth paste in our Bengali Rannaghor. 

Smear this paste over prawns, add oil, curd and let it set for 20 minutes. Place it in a tiffin box, add some more green chillies for that extra zing and you may add some more mustard oil on top and close the lid of the tiffin box tight. 

Now take little water in a pressure cooker and use a separator, place the tiffin box inside the pressure cooker and close the lid of the cooker by removing the weight. Now on low heat for 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool down. Wear a gloves to take out the hot tiffin box from the cooker and serve it with plain rice for the pure bliss !!!

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