ECHOR CHINGRI [ RAW JACKFRUIT WITH PRAWN]

Echor Chingri is a dish prepared with raw jackfruit and small prawns. It is a Bengali delicacy which was served in the Bengali weddings and other important ceremonies some 15-20 years back. That was when we did not feel shy to flaunt and follow our own tradition and culture. At any Bengali ceremonial function, the food fair was predominantly Bengali, the way it should be. I am not regionalistic but there is a need to protect and follow our own tradition. Some regions of India strictly follow it and I respect that. In such a scenario it is necessary to keep our traditional recipes alive, hence this urge to compile the family Bengali recipes. We usually prepare a vegetarian curry with jackfruit. At times, we add a special touch to it cooking it with the small prawns. This dish goes well with steamed rice. My family usually fry the potato pieces and raw jackfruit pieces after boiling, I avoid it for less consumption of oil. Let us do it.

INGREDIENTS :

Echor [raw jackfruit] : 500gm
Prawn [small sized] : 150gm
Potato : 1 big
Green Chilli : 2-3 [slitted]
Ginger Paste : 2tsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 2tsp
Cinnamon Powder : 2pinches
Green Cardamom Powder : 2pinches
Cloves Powder : 1pinch
Cumin Seed : 1/4 tsp
Bayleaf : 1
Sugar : 1tsp
Oil [preferably mustard] : 4tbsp

METHOD :

Grease your palms with few drops of oil. Cut the skin of the jackfruit, cut half and furthermore discarding the mid section. Now, cut them into small cubes. Take out the seeds and discard the yellowish outer skin. Wash them, take is a vessel with enough water and put for boil. Add salt and turmeric.

Clean the prawns and wash well. Apply salt and turmeric. Peel, cube the potato, wash and rub with salt & turmeric.

Once the raw jack fruit pieces are 60% done, reserve them in a colander.

Thereafter, Lightly fry the prawns and take out. Prepare a spice paste with the ginger paste, salt, cumin, coriander, red chilli, turmeric powders adding 1tbsp of water.

Temper the same oil with cumin seeds and bayleaf. Add the spice paste and fry for a minute. Add the potato pieces and stir cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the fried jackfruit pieces and fold in well. Stir cook for 2 minutes.

Add about 2 coffee mugs of water, covercook for 8-10 minutes.

Remove the cover, add the fried prawns and the slitted green chillies. Fold in well and cover cook at low heat for 4-5 minutes.

Remove the cover and add the cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves powder and sugar. 

Stir well and let boil for 1/2 a minute. We should be done.

Serve with hot steamed rice.