Kucho chingri diye Knathal Beechi-r Bhortha/ Shrimps cooked with dried seeds of ripened jackfruit
My husband’s father’s side being from the area which is now under Bangladesh, he has a weakness for what they call “bhortha”. Plainly and very simplistically put, bhortha is a mash of different ingredients to have a flavour that is a beautiful blend of all that goes in. Whenever I am on a lookout of such recipes, my go-to people are Nayana Afroz (who is a celebrated home cook whose cooking we are a great fan of) and my friend and former neighbor Tahiti Ahmed (whose cooking I can die for). This particular recipe is a mish-mash of inputs provided by them.
Nayana Afroz Tahiti Ahmed
Ingredients
- Shrimps – half a cup
- Dried seeds of ripened jackfruit (here on mentioned as the seeds) – 1 and ½ cups
- Beresta (finely chopped onions fried till they are golden brown)
- Finely chopped onion
- One pod of garlic
- Finely chopped garlic
- Salt
- Turmeric
- Green chillies
- Finely chopped cilantro
- Mustard oil
Preparation –
Pressure cook well the seeds with turmeric, salt, one pod of garlic. Drain the liquid and then immediately mash the seeds (or else they shall become hard again once cold). Don’t discard the chillies or the garlic pod.
- Now blend this mash along with the chillies and the garlic.
- Heat mustard oil and fry the shrimp with salt and turmeric. Set aside.
- Fry the finely chopped onions in the same till they are golden brown (beresta). Set aside.
- Now fry finely chopped garlic and then the onion.
- Then add the blend in this and adjust salt.
- Mix in the chopped cilantro and cook for a while.
- Remember to stir the concoction continuously since it would get sticky. I use non stick pan for ease.
- Add a drizzle of mustard oil and remove from heat.
- Garnish with slit green chilies and serve with piping hot steamed rice