Daab Chingri- Authentic bengali dish of prawns cooked in tender coconut shell

 DAAB CHINGRI is a yummy prawns curry flavoured with panch phoron and cooked in a tender coconut shell, i had this first at ‘Bay of bengal’ restaurant above K C Das in MG road and loved it years ago, and from then on it is one of must haves along with bhaigun bhaja whenever i have bengali cuisine. And it must delicacy to be made at home,  whenever  i get fresh and nice prawns. 

 Ingredients

• Prawns 500 grams (de-veined and cleaned)
• Tender coconut 2 (water removed and insides scooped)
• Onions 1 (ground to paste or you can also chop them finely and add)
• Ginger paste 2 tsp.
• Garlic paste 1 tsp
• Green chillies 5-6 (minced/ paste )
• Mustard seeds 3 tablespoons (soaked and made into a paste)
• Mustard oil 2 tablespoons
• Panch Phoron 1tsp (seasoning of equal amounts of cumin, mustard, fenugreek, onion seeds and fennel)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Red chili powder - 2 tsp
• Poppy seed paste 1tsp
• Salt as per taste
• Wheat dough for sealing

Method

1. Cut out the top of the tender coconuts with a fine knife in a small round shape and keep the cut out part aside. Make sure the green coconut is full of kernel. Pour the coconut water in a separate bowl. And scoop out the kernel.
2. Add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder to the uncooked prawns and keep it in a cool place for 20-30mins.

1. In a frying pan heat mustard oil well till you see fumes, then cool it slightly. And season with panch phoron and lightly fry the prawns in it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. The cooking time must not exceed 2 minutes. Remove the prawns and keep it aside to cool.
3. In the same oil now add onions paste and sauté well.
4. Add in the paste of ginger, garlic and sauté. Add mustard paste, green chili paste and poopy paste and cook another 2 minutes.
5. Add the coconut scraped coconut kernel and cook.
6. Mix in salt and finally add ½ of coconut water and cook for 2 mins.
7. When done, pour the entire mixture over the prawns and mix it well.
8. Make a soft dough out of a cup of atta.
9. Pour the entire prawn curry mixture into the big green coconut, place the cut out lid back into the coconut and seal the mouth with the atta dough.
10. In traditional way the coconut is steamed in a steamer. You can even bake it in an oven.(I have done both the methods, you can follow anyone)

Steamer Method:

Take a 5 litre size steamer and fill it half with water. Place the entire coconut inside and close the lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until steam comes out.

Oven Method:

Place the entire coconut inside a preheated oven. And cook at medium range for 10-15 mins (220 C)

When done take the coconut out and cut open the lid.

Serve Daab Chingri in the coconut shell as a side dish for rice.

 

P.S: if the green coconut does not have a soft kernel inside then while cooking the curry add coconut paste into the mixture. Without this there will not be any taste at all!