Shrimp Curry (Chingri Masala): A Taste of Bangladesh

Tender succulent shrimp bathed in a spicy sauce, this quick and easy Shrimp Curry from Bangladesh is loaded with flavour. It's layered with fresh tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and spices to produce a flavour bomb much more complex than you'd think can be produced in the short time it takes to get this dish onto the table. You can easily adjust the heat level to your tastes. (Skip to recipe.)

This month for our Eat the World recipe challenge, we visit Bangladesh, that small country tucked into the eastern elbow of India and considered part of the historical region of Bengal. This region is comprised of West Bengal (in India) on the west and Bangladesh on the east. Bengali cuisine in these two parts of the region is very similar, but with some notable differences in ingredients and cooking techniques.

Bangladeshi cuisine, known as possibly the hottest (spiciest) cuisine in the world, is loaded with flavour from herbs, roots, and spices, often ground into a paste. The country is located in the delta of the Ganges River, so is rich in seafood and river fish. The cooking in Bangladesh relies heavily on rice, pulses, vegetables, and fish, with beef and goat also popular as the population is largely Muslim. Vegetable dishes are not overcooked, and the cuisine is rich and heavy with oil. In West Bengal, which is more Hindu based, beef is not eaten much, with mutton being more widely utilized, more sugar is used in savoury cooking, and vegetables are cooked for longer times.

This Shrimp Curry is a typical Bangladeshi seafood dish, usually made to be very spicy - eye-wateringly so. Some recipes I found online contained as much as 1 tablespoon of Indian chili powder (which is even spicier than cayenne pepper), so I've given a range from the recipes I researched. ½ to 1 teaspoon seems to be the standard. The complex flavours from the garlic, ginger, and spices is brightened with fresh tomatoes added near the end, and the whole dish comes together very quickly. Large succulent shrimp are just cooked long enough to turn pink, leaving them tender and juicy as they bathe in the delightfully rich curry.

I couldn't find the traditionally used small green chilis (Thai chilis would be a good substitute), so I used a jalapeño pepper instead (I removed the seeds, but you can leave them in if you are a spice lover). Large shrimp make for a truly succulent dish. I purchased them already peeled and deveined, which made this quick dish even quicker. A large handful of fresh cilantro from the garden added colour and fresh flavour stirred in before serving.

Chop up the ingredients, and give them a quick sauté. Add in the shrimp near the end, cooking them just until they turn slightly firm and brightly pink.

Serve this fantastic shrimp curry with cooked rice for a quick and absolutely delicious Bangladeshi meal.

Lip-smacking and plate-licking is optional.

* * * * *

 

Kitchen Frau Notes: The heat level of this shrimp curry can be adjusted to your preferred spice tolerance. In Bangladesh it would be very spicy, using 1 to 2 teaspoons of Indian chili powder (or more!), which is even hotter than cayenne. I am a spice wimp, so I seeded my jalapeño pepper and used only ¼ teaspoon of cayenne. The curry was still quite spicy, but very tasty and I could manage it. However, if you're cooking for young children, or not sure you'd like it very spicy, start with ⅛ of a teaspoon of cayenne, and then taste the sauce after it is cooked, adding more cayenne to taste if needed.

The cooking time will depend on how hot your burner is and the size of your pan. Chop all the ingredients beforehand and then tend the pan closely if you are using relatively high heat, so it doesn't burn. The higher the heat, the less time it will take to cook this dish. The shrimp only need a few minutes of cooking at the end, just until they change colour and curl up.

Bangladeshi Shrimp Curry (Chingri Masala)

Time: 20 -25 minutes

• 1 lb (454gms) large peeled, deveined shrimp or prawns (without heads, tails left on)
• ¼ cup (60ml) mustard oil, ghee, coconut oil, or vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, diced (2 cups)
• 2 to 3 green chilis (or 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded if desired), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, grated, or pressed
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ¼ to 2 teaspoons ground chili pepper or cayenne, according to desired heat level
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup (120ml) water
• ¼ cup (60ml) chopped cilantro
• cooked rice for serving

Set the rice on to cook.

Rinse the shrimps and drain them well. Set them aside.

Chop the onions and mince the green chilis (or jalapeño), ginger, and garlic. Dice the tomatoes and chop the cilantro.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or heavy bottomed dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are translucent.

Add the minced hot peppers, ginger, and garlic to the onions, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Add the turmeric, cumin, garam masala, ground chili or cayenne, and salt, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes and water and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are tender and the sauce thickens up a bit. If it gets too dry, add a splash more water (it will depend on how large or juicy your tomatoes are).

Add the shrimp, and cook and stir until they have all turned pink and curled up - another 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and serve hot with rice.

Serves 4.

আপনার খাবার উপভোগ করুন Āpanāra khābāra upabhōga karuna (Enjoy your meal)

 

Check out all the wonderful Bangladeshi dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Fulkopir Chop (Bangladeshi Cauliflower Fritters)
Pandemonium Noshery: Zafrani Pulao
Sneha’s Recipe: Goalondo Chicken Curry With Bella Chara Porota
Palatable Pastime: Jhal Muri (Spicy Puffed Rice Street Snack)
Making Miracles: Bangladeshi Chicken Korma
Kitchen Frau: Chingri Masala (Bangladeshi Prawn Curry)
Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Shemai (Sweet Vermicelli Pudding)
A Day in the LIfe on the Farm: Yogurt and Cilantro Marinated Chicken

 

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Check out my past ‘Eat the World’ Recipe Challenge posts:

(in alphabetical order)

• Argentina: Red Chimichurri Sauce
• Bulgaria: Patatnik (Savoury Potato and Cheese Pie)
• Cambodia: Noum Kong (Cambodian Rice Flour Doughnuts)
• Colombia: Pan de Yuca (Warm Cheese Buns)
• Egypt: Fava Beans and Feta
• England: Gluten Free Fish and Chips and Mushy Peas
• Ethiopia: Four Ethiopian Recipes for a Fantastic Feast
• Fiji: Spiced Sweet Potato and Banana Salad
• Finland: Lohikeitto (Creamy Salmon, Potato, and Dill Soup)
• France: Axoa d’Espelette (A Simple Stew from the Basque Country)
• Georgia: Charkhlis Chogi (Beets with Sour Cherry Sauce)
• India: Kerala Upma (Fluffy, Kerala Style Breakfast Upma Recipe)
• Iraq: Tepsi Baytinijan (Eggplant & Meatball Casserole)
• Ireland: Dublin Coddle (A tasty Sausage and Potato Stew)
• Israel: Cucumber, Feta, and Watermelon Salad
• Kenya: Maharagwe with Ugali (Red Beans with Cornmeal Slice)
• Mexico: Cochinita Pibil Tacos (Pit Barbecued Pig to Make in Your Oven)
• New Zealand: Classic Pavlova
• Poland: Polish Honey Cake
• Portugal: Tuna and Sardine Pâtés
• Puerto Rico: Piña Colada Cocktail
• Senegal: Mafé (Beef and Peanut Stew)
• Sweden: Swedish Meatballs with Cream Gravy
• Switzerland (Christmas): Basler Leckerli Cookies
• Thailand: Shrimp Laksa (Khung)
• Trinidad & Tobago: Peanut Butter Prunes
• Ukraine: Buckwheat Kasha with Beef
• United States (Soul Food): Smothered Pork Chops