Narkel Posto Chingri

Last weekend we had a lunch invitation where we had some excellently cooked dishes: Fine Basmati rice,Musur Dal, Begun Bhaja,Salad, Dimer Posto, Mangsher Jhol, Chutney, Doi and Mishti. Needless to say, all the menus were cooked to perfection.Experience is something that is treasured in every aspects of life and it is more so when applied to the kitchen. The Mangsho was delicate and succulent with unmistakeable Bengali touch;the Musur dal with the apt fervour of onion and garlic in it and the Dimer posto too was a dish way too perfect.We had a gala lunch and were returning back home overstuffed, when we were offered the “Posto Misti” – and that just completed the lunch perfectly.
Posto(poppy seeds) happen to be one of my favourite spices and more so because it combines terrifically with most items – be it fish, prawn, mutton, eggs, chicken or vegetables(jhinge, potol, fulkopi). One of the first times I had posto with prawn was at a friends place. I prepared something on those lines but with the addition of coconut milk and everything just feel in place perfectly.

Serves:2-3

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 35-40 mins

Ingredients:

Bagda Chingri: 8-10 nos.
Poppy Seed Paste: 3 tbsp
Coconut Milk: One cup.
Green Chilies: 4-5
Melted Ghee: 2 tbsp.To be added in the end.
Vegetable Oil: 4 tbsp to fry the prawns, 2 tbsp for the curry.
Spice Powder/Paste:

Turmeric Powder: 2 tsp to fry the prawns
Dry Red Chili Paste: 1/2 tsp

Whole Spices:

Green Cardamon:3-4
Cinnamon Stick:One 1 inch piece
Bay leaf: 1
Cumin Seeds:1/2 tsp

Salt: To taste.

Note: Since coconut milk is sweet, so no extra sugar is required.

Procedure:
Frying the prawns:

Coat the prawns with turmeric powder and some amount of salt to taste.Keep aside for 15 mins.
Then heat 4 tbsp of vegetable oil in a kadai.
When the oil gets hot, fry the prawns.Fry under low to low-medium medium heat and donot fry for more than a couple of minutes.Otherwise the prawns ends up being hard and rubbery.

Preparing the Curry:

Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to the same kadai.
Once the oil gets hot, add the Whole spices.
When the smell of the spices evolve, add the fried prawns. Spread the dry red chili paste over the prawns.
Stir the ingredients for 2-3 mins.
Then add the poppy seed paste and green chilies.
Continue stirring for a further 2-3 mins.
In it, add the coconut milk.
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Sprinkle some amount of salt depending upon the taste.
Put a lid on the kadai and let the curry cook for 12-15 mins. Add half cup water incase the gravy becomes too dry.
Drizzle some melted ghee in the end and serve with steamed rice.

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