Shrimp aka “Kucho Chingri” has a pivotal role in Bengali Cuisine. Generally, any independent dish is not merely prepared with only shrimp. However, while accompanying with any vegetable the taste is enhanced many folds. We Bengalis usually pair up shrimp with Bottle gourd, Pointed gourd, Green jackfruit, Banana flower, Elephant foot yam (recipe) and many others. But today I am sharing with you a different combination, Pumpkin and Shrimp, which is also a new addition to my daily menu. I am totally blown over with the taste of the dish and can’t even imagine that a regular pumpkin can be turned into a delicious one only by adding shrimp. Do try this simple yet tasteful recipe, “Kumro – Chingri Rasha”.

Ingredients to serve 4 :

1. Pumpkin – 300 gms.
2. Shrimp – 100 – 150 gms.
3. Onion (medium size) – 1
4. Garlic (medium size) – 3-4 cloves
5. Black mustard seeds – ½ tsp
6. Dey red chilli – 1-2
7. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Mustard oil – 4 tbspoon

Procedure :

• At first, remove the shell, head and tail of the shrimps, devein them and wash thoroughly. Then coat the shrimps with salt and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder. Keep them aside.
• Then wash and peel the pumpkin. Cut it into thick slices.
• Finely chop the onion and garlic after peeling.

• Now heat the mustard oil in a kadai over medium flame.
• At first fry the shrimps. Remove them from oil and keep aside.

• Now add mustard seeds and dry red chilli. Saute for a while.
• Then add chopped garlic and fry till it changes colour.
• Now add chopped onion and fry till light brown.
• After that add pumpkin slices, salt and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder. Mix them well, cover the kadai with a lid and cook till pumpkin soften. Stir occasionally so that the vegetable does not get burn.

• Now add fried shrimps, mix well and again cook for 3-4 minutes.

• As the oil starts getting released from the vegetable put the flame off.
• Now transfer the dry curry in a bowl and serve with rice.