chingri, narkol die chichinge chenchki

As promised here is one more recipe with Chichinge or Snake gourd. 

This is one of my mother's loved recipe and like her while cooking it I dont follow any rule. Though this recipe has prawns, coconut and teeny tiny amount of mustard paste but you can change it as per availability or choice. Somedays I just cook it with a tempering of nigella seeds and green chillies and finish off with a drizzle of mustard oil and it still is the flavour bomb. 

So feel free. If you are vegetarian omit prawn and cook with coconut and mustard. If you dont like coconut then just dont add...it's very versatile yet yummy.

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Chingri Narkol die chichinge chenchki

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

Chichinge: 2 (I used the very tender ones)

Coconut: freshly scraped: 3 tbsp

Mustard paste: 2 tsp (Use 3 tbsp of mustard and make a paste in a blender)

Prawns: handful (the medium sized one works best here and I prefer to cut each in 3-4 pieces. and yes we use the prawn head too)

Nigella seeds: 1/2 tsp

Green chillies: 3-4

Mustard oil/white oil: 2 tbsp

Method:

Using your knife lightly scrape the powdery skin of the chichinge. Just run it up and down and the upper layer will come off. Discard the ends of the vegetable and cut it lengthwise. Now slice each piece as finely as possible. The finer you slice the quicker it cooks. Wash under running water, Drain and keep aside.

Add 1/4 cup water to 2 tbsp mustard, keep aside.

Remove the shell from Prawns, clean and cut in 3-4 pieces. wash and then add pinch of turmeirc and salt to it.

Heat the oil in a pan till smoking. Rub the nigella seeds in your palm and add to the oil along with chopped (or slit) green chillies. Cook for a few seconds till you get a nice aroma. Add the prawns and stir for a few seconds then add the sliced chichinge, salt and turmeric. Mix and cover. Keep the flame medium and stir in between.

Initially a lot of water will come out, let the veggie get cooked in that juice. After 5-7 minutes when the veggie are half cooked add the mustard water. I try to pour the water from one side that way the husk is removed. Mix and check the seasoning. If needed add more salt.

Cook for 4-5 more minutes and as soon the veggie strats to dry up add the scraped coconut and mix.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

A Homemaker's Notes:

You can just cook this dish as a stir fry without any spices. Just temper the oil with nigella seeds and green chillies and cook the snake gourd in it. we call this chichinge bhaja and it tastes extremely good with rice and lentil soup.

If you have coconut handy then just add a handful to this bhaja dish just before taking it off the heat.