Bengali shrimp with eggplants

The traffic has been getting worse by the day and today it took me 11/2 hours to get home. Anyway either it takes me 10 minutes or 100 minutes I have hungry mouths to feed and yummy shrimp dish is for dinner

Bengali shrimp with eggplant (Shrimp with eggplant in sweet and spicy mix)

Bengali Shrimp with Egg Plant

Ingredient 

1. 1 large egg plant cut into medium cubes
2. 1 large onion thinly sliced
3. 1 tsp. garlic paste
4. 4,5 green chilies slit lengthwise 
5. 1 medium tomato coarsely chopped
6. 15-20 medium sized prawns cleaned
7. 1 tsp. turmeric powder
8. 1 tbsp red chili powder
9. 1 tsp. nigella seeds
10. Coriander leaves
11. Salt
12. Sugar
13. 11/2 tablespoons oil

Mix the prawns with turmeric powder, salt and keep marinated for 15 mins. Heat oil in a pan and fry prawns till they turn golden. Do not over fry the prawns.Otherwise they will turn rubbery. Remove and keep it reserved for later use. 
Take half of the fried prawns and make a coarse paste of it.
Temper the same oil with kalonji and wait till it splutters. Add sliced onions and green chilies to it. Fry on medium high heat till they turn light brown. Add turmeric and chili powder to it. 
Add garlic paste and saute for a while. Throw the eggplant cubes into the pan and mix well with spices. Add chopped tomato to it. Sprinkle salt and sugar to your taste and mix them well. 
Cook it covered till the eggplants become soft but not mushy and then add fried prawns along with the prawn paste and mix it well. Wait till the oil starts oozing out from the sides. Remove from heat and finish it off with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

Amazing Shrimp fry

Another of my popular recipes. This is actually not mine or my mom's recipe. This recipe if by one of the cook's who used to work for my dad. So here's the recipe

Amazing Shrimp fry (Shrimp fry curry)

Ingredients:

1. 3/4-1 lb big shrimp peeled and deveined, washed and dried on a paper towel
2. 1 big onion peeled and ground to paste
3. 1/2 teaspoon each of ginger-garlic paste, salt, chilly powder, cumin, coriander powder
4. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, garam masala powder
5. 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
6. 2 green chillies slit
7. 3 tablespoons oil

In a non-stick pan heat the oil and add the cumin and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the onion paste and fry till it starts changing color. Now add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the shrimp and stir to combine. Add the rest of the ingredients and fry till it becomes dark brown. Take care not to burn it. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot rice and Khatti dal

Kakoda Jhinga

,We came back from Albuquerque after the 4 day vacation and my fridge and pantry are almost empty and I don't feel like going grocery shopping today as its been pretty cold here. And my little boy is still adjusting to the 1 hour change in time. So I had to make dinner with whatever is left in the fridge. Hence the menu for today is Aakakara kaaya royyalu and Sorakaya pulusu

Aakakara kaaya Royyalu (Teasel Gourd with shrimp)

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb Kakoda (aakakarakaaya , teasel gourd)
2. 1/2-3/4 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
3. 1 medium small onion sliced
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt, chilly powder,
5. 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
6. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
7. 2 tablespoons oil divided
8. cilantro for garnishing

Wash the shrimp and put some salt over and set them aside for 15 minutes. Mean while heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pressure cooker and fry the onions till they start to change color. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for few more minutes. Add the peeled and sliced Kakoda and all the other ingredients except shrimp and remaining oil, close the cooker and cook for 2 whistles. In a pan heat the remaining oil and fry the shrimp till they start changing color. Once all the steam escapes from the cooker, open it and add the curry to the shrimp and simmer till the gravy becomes a bit thick. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot rice

Sorakaya Pulusu (Bottle gourd cooked in tamarind juice)

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium small bottle gourd peeled and seeded and cut into small cubes
2. 1 tablespoon besan (chana ka aata)
3. 1 tablespoon oil
4. 1/4 cup sliced red onions
5. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, cumin, urad dal
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt, chilly powder
7. 2 cups juice from 1 medium lemon sized tamarind
8. 2 red chillies and few curry leaves (optional)

In a heavy bottomed pan heat the oil and fry the cumin, urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves if using. After a couple of minutes add onions and fry for a few minutes. Now add the bottle gourd pieces and fry for 5-7 minutes. Add the besan and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Check the taste and if it is too tart add 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy