Daab Chingri (Prawns cooked in Tender Young Coconut) by Pritha Sen

Pritha Sen, Chronicler of heritage cuisines, feels that Daab Chingri is a modern urban innovation that is now pretty popular among many people. It is interesting to note that this recipe, which is considered a Bengali delicacy in today’s time, finds no record in traditional culinary texts.

The patience lies in slow cooking the prawns inside the tender coconut so that the flavours are sealed and the prawns get a melt-in-the-mouth consistency. Most people would love to polish off a heaped plateful of steamed rice with Daab Chingri.

Ingredients:

Malai Daab/ Young Tender Coconut
Prawn
Mustard Paste – 2 to 3 tsp
Dahi/ Yoghurt – 1 tsp
Daab Water/ Water of young coconut – 2 to 3 tsp
Green Chili Paste
Haldi/Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chopped green Chilies
Salt
Mustard Oil
Chilli Powder (optional)
Grated Coconut (optional)
Wheat Flour/Atta – for sealing

Preparation:

Scoop out the malai from the daab leaving just a thin layer.
Chop the malai into smaller pieces.
Make a mix of mustard paste, dahi, daab water, green chilli paste, haldi, chopped green chillies and salt to taste.
If you want add a little chilli powder.
You may also add a little grated coconut as well along with the chopped malai slices.
Mix it well with the prawns along with mustard oil and put into the scooped out daab shell.
Seal with atta dough and bake in pre-heated oven at 200°C for 45 mins to an hour till shell turns brownish in colour.

Note: In Pritha Sen’s words — Some people may want to use the coconut malai in paste form; however I like the bits and pieces of it in my mouth with the prawns; and hence I use the chopped version — but the choice is yours.