Alu Begun Chingri / Prawns with Eggplant and Potato

Summer is here with all its might and I have to look for more options to keep ourselves cool. The scorching heat seems to make us baffled and a simple cooler or soft drinks is not enough to keep us balanced and hydrated. All those fish or meat or elaborate meals are taking their days off...and a simple daal - bhat (rice with lentils) with some mach bhaja / fried fish or omlette has become our rescuer.

Even in the evening....lassi is more preferable than any other snack. I have started making big bunches of hung curd to make Labneh, because chilled Labneh becomes a delicious accompaniment with some whole wheat chapati or bread, if you just can add some lebanese spices like zatar or sumac and a generous drizzle of honey. It works just fine in place of creme cheese, so sandwiches have just become more healthy for us now a days.

As for the lunches simpler menu is much appreciated. So just what can be paired with dal is good for now. Alu Begun Chingri is such a simple dish. I had some pieces of pumpkin left, which I also added here but you can always go without that. This is a light and non spicy dish, which is also a kind of messy. But the adding up of prawns has made Alu Begun Chingri a more worthwhile.

Alu Begun Chingri
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup medium sized prawns
• 2 medium potatoes - cubed
• a little pumpkin (optional)
• 1/2 of a big aubergine - cut lengthwise and then halved
• 1 tsp panch foron (mixture of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds)
• 2 green chilies - silted
• 1 tsp + 1tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder / green chili paste
• 1 tsp ginger - garlic paste
• salt
• 2 tbsp oil

Method:

• marinate the prawns with some salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder. Keep aside for 5-10 minutes.
• Heat 2 tbp oil in a kadai and fry the prawns in it until they become golden from both the sides.
• In the same oil fry the potatoes. 
• Take away most of the oil from the kadai. Just keep about 2 tsp oil.
• In that add panch foron. As the spices start to sizzle add the ginger - garlic paste and sauté until the raw flavor goes.
• Now add the fried potatoes and cook. If required add some water and cook until it is 70% done.
• Now add the pieces of aubergine and pumpkin(if using).
• Add salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Mix well, and put cover.
• Check in between and stir, so that they do not stick to the bottom of the kadai or pan. Add little water if they tend to stick to the pan.
• Cook until all the vegetables gets properly cooked and become a little mushy.
• Now add the prawns and cover again. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the prawns are cooked from inside.
• After 5 minutes, open the cover and taste and adjust seasoning.
• Put off the flame and serve hot with some steamed plain rice.