Chingrir Paturi/Prawn Paturi

Paturi is a Bengali dish that refers to food prepared by wrapping and cooking it in a leaf. This delicacy is usually prepared with fish, but it can also be made with prawns, dal, cottage cheese/paneer, etc. The main ingredient of Paturi is coated or mixed with certain traditional spices first and then wrapped up with banana leaves for further slow cooking. In this method of slow cooking, the banana leaves get burnt, infusing the food with a smoky aroma and creating a delicious, unique flavour. Among all the paturi varieties lish Paturi is my favourite, but this time I tried paturi with Prawns. And it turned out finger licking good. As Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) demands something special, so, sharing my Chingrir Paturi recipe with all of you and wishing you all Shubho Nobobosho. If you’re making this recipe, don’t forget to share your experience with me. 🙂

Chingrir Paturi / Prawn paturi

Ingredients

• Prawns- 6 medium-sized
• Mustard seeds- 2 tbsp
• Poppy seeds- 3½ tbsp
• Freshly grated coconut- ¼ cup
• Green chilies- 3-4 (adjust according to your tolerance)
• Turmeric powder- ¾ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil- 3 tbsp + more
• Banana leaves- 2

Method

In a strainer add 2 tbsp of yellow and 2 tbsp black mustard seeds (50:50), wash under running water, and grind with one green chilli to a smooth paste by using your food processor. From this mustard paste use 2 tbsp for making Chingrir Paturi. You can use the rest of the paste for making mustard based fish or vegetable curries.

Or else, you can use ready to use mustard powder (Sunrise brand). If cooking with the mustard seeds powder, use 1 tbsp of it and follow the package instructions for dissolving.

Place the poppy seeds in a tea strainer, wash under running water. Add this to a food processor/mixer grinder along with the green chillies. Add ¼ cup water into this and blitz until smooth paste forms, add some more water if required. Now add the grated coconut into this and run the food processor again until coarse thick paste forms, keep aside.

In a bowl add the mustard paste, coconut-poppy seeds paste, mustard oil, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well and keep aside.

Heat the banana leaf sheets from one edge to another (glossy side down) over low flame for a few seconds. This is for easy folding, care should be taken not to burn out the leaves.

Cut the banana leaves into rectangles. Keeping in mind that you need the leaf pieces to be spacious enough to wrap and parcel one large prawn (I placed two prawns at a time as they were medium sized). Clean the leaf pieces with a wet kitchen towel. Grease the upper part of the leaf pieces with mustard oil.

Now dip the prawns into the mustard-poppy seeds mixture, coat them well and place carefully on the banana leaf. Wrap and make a parcel. Tie with cotton thread.

Continue the same process for the rest of the prawns.

Grease a regular iron tawa (not nonstick) generously with mustard oil. Place the fish parcels/paturi on tawa. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat. Flip the parcels after every 3-4 minutes. Let the parcels turn dark brown in color. Your classic mouthwatering Prawn Paturi is ready to devour. Remove from the heat, wait for a minute, now cut the threads and serve hot Paturi with steamed rice.

Note:

The traditional way of serving Paturi is by presenting the leaf-wrapped delicacy as is, without the threads, and one has to open the parcel before consuming it with rice.

Print

Chingrir Paturi / Prawn Paturi

Chingrir Paturi is a Bengali delicacy where prawns are coated in a spice paste and then slow-cooked in banana leaves.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword gluten-free

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 People

Author Chandrima

Ingredients

• 6 medium sized- Prawns
• 2 tbsp- Mustard paste
• 3½ tbsp- Poppy seeds
• ¼ cup- Freshly grated coconut
• 3-4- Green chilies (adjust according to your tolerance)
• ¾ tsp- Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp + more- Mustard oil
• 2- Banana leaves

Instructions

1. In a strainer add 2 tbsp of yellow and 2 tbsp black mustard seeds (50:50), wash under running water, and grind with one green chilli to a smooth paste by using your food processor. From this mustard paste use 2 tbsp for making Chingrir Paturi. You can use the rest of the paste for making mustard based fish or vegetable curries.

2. Or else, you can use ready to use mustard powder (Sunrise brand). If cooking with the mustard seeds powder, use 1 tbsp of it and follow the package instructions for dissolving.

3. Place the poppy seeds in a tea strainer, wash under running water. Add this to a food processor/mixer grinder along with the green chillies. Add ¼ cup water into this and blitz until smooth paste forms, add some more water if required. Now add the grated coconut into this and run the food processor again until coarse thick paste forms, keep aside.

4. In a bowl add the mustard paste, coconut-poppy seeds paste, mustard oil, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well and keep aside.

5. Heat the banana leaf sheets from one edge to another (glossy side down) over low flame for a few seconds. This is for easy folding, care should be taken not to burn out the leaves.

6. Cut the banana leaves into rectangles. Keeping in mind that you need the leaf pieces to be spacious enough to wrap and parcel one large prawn (I placed two prawns at a time as they were medium sized). Clean the leaf pieces with a wet kitchen towel. Grease the upper part of the leaf pieces with mustard oil.

7. Now dip the prawns into the spice paste mixture, coat them well and place carefully on the banana leaf. Wrap and make a parcel. Tie with cotton thread.

8. Continue the same process for the rest of the prawns.

9. Grease a regular iron tawa (not nonstick) generously with mustard oil. Place the fish parcels/paturi on tawa. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat. Flip the parcels after every 3-4 minutes. Let the parcels turn dark brown in color. Your classic mouthwatering Prawn Paturi is ready to devour. Remove from the heat, wait for a minute, now cut the threads and serve hot Paturi with steamed rice.

Recipe Notes

The traditional way of serving Paturi is by presenting the leaf-wrapped delicacy as is, without the threads, and one has to open the parcel before consuming it with rice.