Lau, Kaddu, Bottle gourd is one more favorite vegetable of mine. One of a very famous Bengali Delicasy is Lau Chingri or Prawn & Bottle gourd Curry. Among the entire authentic Bengali dishes Lau Chingri is one of the famous one. Many people cook the dish in various ways. I followed my Ma’s recipe.
But the saddest part is that my husband doesn't like it that’s why I really don’t feel like to cook for myself only. While reading on Bengali Novel the moment I read about Lau Chingri or Prawn & Bottle gourd Curry I can’t resist myself, and cooked some Lau Chingri for myself only. But the moral of the story is my husband eats almost all the prawns I just finished my dinner with the Lau or Bottle gourd only.
Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.
Ingredients:
1.Medium size Prawns : 150gm.
2.A small Bottlegourd (cut into small cube size).
3.One tea spoon Ginger and Green Chili paste.
4. Turmeric Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder (Half tea spoon of each item).
5.Few cumin seeds, One dry red chili , One small bay leave.
6.Salt and sugar as per taste.
7.Mustard oil or sunflower oil for cooking.
Process:
Marinate the prawns with little turmeric powder and salt and shallow fry them in little oil. Keep it aside.
Now add some oil in a vessel and add the cumin seeds, Dry Red chili and Bay leave after few second and the Bottle gourd pieces into the vessel and fry for some time.
Now add all the spice powder into the ginger and green chili paste with some water. And add the mixture into the vessel with some salt and sugar and cook till the oil come out.
Now add the fried prawn pieces and stir for some time. Now add some warm water and cook till the Bottle gourd cooked nicely and all the water evaporate.
Served hot with Plain Rice.
Every day while entering into the kitchen my daily problem is to think what to cook. It’s really a horrible job, before marriage I thought something I will cook for our daily lunch or dinner. But to think that something is a big task for me. I think all of you are facing the same problem every day.
After so much of plan I called my Maa and she told me to cook one nice Squash Curry with Daler Bora or Lentil Fritters. It’s a very simple recipe but with plain rice this one is just too good. Hope most of you know this recipe but this one is for those who don’t know.
Squash is really very good for health and with the Dal or Lentil it becomes healthier. This one is perfect for a simple lunch.
Preparation time: 15 mints.
Cooking time: 30 mints.
Ingredients:For Bora or Fritters:
1.Urad Dal : 100 gm (soaked into water for overnight).
2.One Medium size chopped onion.
3.Two chopped green chilies.
4.Some salt.
5.Sunflower oil for frying.
For Curry:
1.A small squash (cut into small cube size).
2.One medium size potato (cut into cube size).
3.One small chopped tomato.
4.Two to three split green chilies. One Inch Ginger.
5.Turmeric Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder (half tea spoon of each item).
6.One Dry Red Chili, One Bay leave, Few Cumin Seeds.
7.Salt & Sugar as per taste.
8. Sunflower oil.
9.Half tea spoon of ghee.Process:
For Bora or Fritters:
Make a smooth paste with the soaked dal. Now add chopped onions, chopped green chilies and salt.
Now make some small round shape flat balls with the mixture and deep fry them in oil. After frying soak the extra oil in a paper towel, and keep it aside.
Now add some oil in a vessel and add the cumin seeds, bay leave and dry red chili. Now add the squash pieces and potato pieces into the vessel and fry for some time.
Make a paste with ginger, green chilies and tomato; add all the spices powder into the paste. Now add the masala mixture into the vessel with some salt and sugar.
Cook till the oil separate, now add some water and add the Lentil Fritters or Daler Bora. Cook with a lid till the potato and squash cooked properly. Now sprinkle the ghee and serve hot with plain rice.
