Chingudi Tarkari

Drool-worthy Odia style chingudi(prawn) curry paired with steamed rice is a hot favourite of seafood lovers.

Ingredients :

1 Banana flower (Vazhaipoo)
250 grams Prawns , deveined
1 Potato (Aloo)
1 Onion
1 Bay leaf (tej patta)
1 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
2 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds
2 Cloves (Laung)
3 Dry Red Chillies
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
1 teaspoon Cumin powder (Jeera)
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) , 1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
1 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
1 tablespoon Mustard oil , (adjust)
Salt , to taste
2 tablespoons Fresh coconut , for garnishing

How to make Kadali Bhanda O Chingudi Tarkari Recipe (Odia Style Banana Blossom & Prawn Curry) :

Preparing Banana Blossom

To begin making for garnishing, Take a kitchen towel and spread it on your kitchen platform. Rub both of your palms with mustard oil before preparing this banana blossom. Take a bowl aside with water and squeeze a lemon into it.
Now peel and discard the purple covers of the blossom, then gently remove the outer skin of each of the florets and take out the thin stem from the floret. The skin and the stems are not consumed, hence thrown away.
Once done, soak all the florets in cold water with lemon juice for half an hour, so as to prevent them from turning dark and bitter.
Now pressure cook these banana blossom with salt and turmeric till cooked and then discard the water. Now banana blossom is ready for cooking.

For Kadali Bhanda O Chingudi Tarkari

Clean and devein the prawns. Apply salt and turmeric powder to the prawns and keep aside for 10 minutes.
Peel and cube the potato and finely slice the onion.
Heat oil in a pan. shallow fry the cubed potatoes till nicely golden from all sides. Take out and keep aside.
In the same pan, shallow fry the prawns over high heat for 2 mins on both sides, take out and keep aside.
Heat more oil in the pan , Now add whole garam masala (cinnamon sticks, green cardamom, cloves), bay leaf, cumin seeds, dry red chilies to the oil. Cook on medium heat till the masala releases nice flavor.
Then add the sliced onion. Cook over medium heat till the onion changes color and almost caramelizes.
Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell disappears. Make a paste of cumin powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and 2-3 tablespoon of water, mix well and add to the ginger garlic paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add boiled and mashed banana blossom, and salt along with fried potato and mix well. Cover and cook till potatoes are done. Add sugar and check the seasoning.
Add fried prawns and garam masala powder, mix well. Switch off, cover and let rest for sometime. By this time, all the water should have dried up. Serve hot.

Kadali Bhanda O Chingudi Tarkari Recipe (Odia Style Banana Blossom & Prawn Curry) can be served along with Steamed rice, Raw Mango Dal Fry Recipe, Bharwa Karela Recipe, or Kakharu Phula Bhaja Recipe, and chopped mangoes on side.