Doi Chingri / Prawns in Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Doi Chingri is what I cooked second with my huge batch of left over yogurt. It’s really wonderful the way yogurt brightens up the taste in every dish it is added. It’s like the surprise element. No one suspects and yet it goes and does the job.

Technically I had to cook the onions and then had to proceed to add the yogurt and the spices, but in my mind, all around there was running this “dum machli”preparation, which I have seen a few days ago. And so decided to make the Doi Chingri in the “dum” way.  And since Sorshe Bhapa Chingri comes out too nicely...there was actually not a single chance that steaming  will ruin the final outcome.

Mix all the spices and oil to the yogurt and make a smooth paste.

Pour the paste in a microwave proof bowl and mix in the prawns and bake for 15-20 minutes.

So here is how I did it. In a bowl I first mixed up all the ingredients except the prawns and whisked to make a smooth paste. I also added some water so that the gravy remains liquid and does not dry up in the baking process. They came out super moist, super creamy and interestingly flavourful. Due to the baking process the oils were floating on the top and it made the dish look too much lush.

Doi Chingri / Prawns in Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Serves 5-6

Ingredients:

500gm prawns

1 and ½ cup of thick yogurt – whisked
1 cup deep fried onion

1 tsp poppy seeds

¼ th cup of water

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp black pepper powder
½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp cumin powder

½ tsp coriander powder

2 green chillies – whole (add it if you are not afraid of the heat in your curry)
A handful of fresh coriander leaves - chopped

1 tbsp mustard oil

1 tsp ghee (optional)
A pinch of sugar

Salt

Method:

Make a smooth paste of the poppy seeds with some water and keep aside.

In a bowl mix in the poppy seeds paste, fried onions, whisked yogurt, ¼ th cup of water, garam masala powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, sugar and salt. Make sure that it’s a smooth a paste and no lumps remain there.

Take a microwave safe bowl and put the prepared paste in it along with the cleaned and de-veined prawns, the whole green chillies, mustard oil and ghee.

Mix to incorporate everything and put cover.

Put the covered bowl in a oven proof tray. Pour some water into it and put them in the micro-oven.

Bake on high heat bake for 15-20 minutes. After that let the bowl remain there for another 5 minutes and then open.

If you are unable to make it in the microwave just stuff everything in a steel tiffin box and with a flour or whole wheat dough and seal off the edges. This will ensure that nothing goes in and nothing comes out. Take a pressure cooker and pour some water into it. The water level should be lower than the box. Put the box inside. Pull off the venting bulb from the cooker and cook on medium flame for 10-15 minutes. After that, uncover the cooker and take out the box. Let it stay for 5 more minutes and then open.

Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves on top of the doi chingri and serve hot with steamed hot rice.