Egg Shrimp Pie / Dim Chingri

I start this post with a fact that am not sure what to name this recipe. My dida (grand mom) found out this recipe in a cooking show and and after its huge success in the family, passed it on to me, my mom and many others. Probably I am the only one who finally tried it out, of course thanks to the whole day that I have to myself for such experiments and the constant want for some new food. So I named it according to my fancy but you can choose to give it a better name (and also let me know of the same please).

Ingredients:

• Eggs – 4
• Shrimp – 10 – 12
• Onion – 1 medium sized
• Tomato – 2 medium sized, boiled, peeled and chopped (refer to the method  given below)
• Ginger – 2 inch piece, finely chopped or grated
• Garlic – 5 cloves, finely chopped or grated
• Green chillies – finely chopped to taste
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – to taste
• Garam Masala powder – 1 tsp (optional)
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder – to taste
• Paprika powder/Kashmiri lal mirch – 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp for garnishing (optional)
• Dried Parsley or finely chopped coriander leaves – for garnishing
• Oil

Note: You will need a non stick pan (atleast 9 inch) with a lid for the final dish, but you may choose to use any other cookware to fry and mix the ingredients. I used only the pan for the entire process.

Method:

• Boil the whole tomatoes for a minute, peel the skin and roughly chop into small (1/2 inch or litlle less approx.) cubes.
• Heat oil in a nonstick pan (or any other cookware).
• Fry the shrimps with little salt and turmeric. Keep aside for later use.
• Add oil if required in the pan; fry ginger and garlic for half a minute.
• Then add the chopped onions and fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the chopped boiled tomatoes and fry on medium flame without crushing them completely.
• Add chopped green chillies, salt, sugar, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder, paprika powder, and mix well for almost 5 minutes.
• If using a separate cookware for the frying, follow this step: At this stage, lightly grease the hot nonstick pan with oil or butter and transfer the masala / mixture on the  pan.
• Spread the masala/mixture in the pan evenly into a uniform layer.
• Break each egg onto the pan such that the yolk remains intact (same while making an egg poach) and each egg occupies a quarter of the pan. Try not to break the eggs too hard so that the yolk remains intact.
• Sprinkle little salt and pepper on the eggs.
• Place the fried shrimps on the eggs, preferrably at the intersection of the four eggs (so they form a ‘+’ shape). However I had some extra which I placed randomly.
• Garnish it with some dried parsley or finely chopped coriander leaves.
• Cover quickly and simmer for another 5 minutes till the eggs settle in.

Serving suggestion:

• If using a non stick – use a spatula and gently lift one side of the pie and let the spatula slide under the entire pie. Gradually lift it entirely or let it slide into a serving plate.
• Cut it into desired portions / quarters for serving. Ideally each receives a minimum of one egg with the hardened yolk.
• Can be served with garlic/italian bread or with rice and dal or as a snack.

Chingri Macher Malaicurry / Prawn Coconut Masala

I am not too much of a fish lover, but I love prawns (also called shrimps, though prawns are supposedly slightly larger than shrimps), specially the Bengali style of making ‘Chingri Macher Malacurry’. This dish is very popular in most of the Bengali households. I first got inspired to prepare this  from my neighbour who stays above us ‘Rimi’. We had it with plain steaming rice and it tasted simply delicious and lip-smacking.

Ingredients:

• Prawns (shelled and headless) – 400 gms
• Garlic cloves (chopped)   – 2-3 (optional)
• Ginger paste 1 tsp
• Whole garam masala –
  • Green cardamom  – 3-4
  • Cinnamon  – 1 inch stick
  • Cloves 3-4
• Bay leaf – 1 or 2
• Onion (finely chopped or made into a paste) – 1 medium
• Red chilli powder – to taste
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – 1 tsp or to taste (optional)
• Grated coconut – 1/2 cup (if using coconut powder soak it in 4-5 tsp of milk for a while, or may also use 1 cup coconut milk
• Garam masala powder – 1 tsp (more if you want it spicy)
• Green chillies – to taste
• Ghee (Clarified Butter)- 1tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Water – 1 cup

Method:

• Peel, devein and wash the prawns. Remove the tail if desirable (that’s what I usually do).
• Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and mix well.
• Heat oil in a pan on medium flame.
• Saute the prawns till they are light golden and cooked all the way through (about 5 minutes). Do not over cook them. Once done remove them from the pan keep aside in a plate.
• In the same pan (ensure the oil is hot and has not cooled off), add the chopped garlic cloves.
• As soon as the fragrance of the garlic rises, take out the garlic from the oil so that the oil is now garlic flavored but there is no garlic in the gravy.
• Add bay leaf, whole garam masala, ginger paste and chopped green chillies.
• Add in the onions,  and cook till they turn brown. Alternatively, make a paste of onion, ginger, whole garam masala and green chillies and fry in the pan till browned.
• Add in salt, red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and water and cook for another minute.
• Add in the grated coconut, garam masala powder & sugar and mix well.
• Cover and allow the gravy to come to a boil.
• Add in the prawns, cover and cook for about 10 mins.
• Once done, turn off the flame and add Ghee (optional).