Chingri machher bati chorchori

Debjani Chatterjee Alam’s Chingri Machher Bati Chorchori is a Bengali one-pot prawn and vegetable curry. She follows her aunt Mamoni’s recipe and explains the name through mixing the ingredients in a bati, or bowl; her selected method uses a pressure cooker.

Cleaned, deshelled and deveined prawns are washed and marinated with salt and some turmeric. The potato is peeled and cut into wedges, while onion, tomato and green chillies are sliced.

Potato, tomato, green chilli and coriander leaves are mixed in a bowl with red chilli powder, the remaining turmeric, salt and some mustard oil. The marinated prawns are gently mixed in and the mixture stands briefly before cooking.

More of the same mustard oil is heated in the cooker and tempered with nigella seeds. The mixed prawns and vegetables are added, the lid and vent weight fitted, and the curry cooks over low heat until one whistle.

The heat is turned off and the cooker waits until its pressure has dropped. A final mustard-oil drizzle follows opening; the author pairs the curry with rice and notes that the pressure-cooked prawns can have a chewy texture.