If I ask you which one is your favorite season of the year, then what will be the answer? For me, the answer is winter. Wondering why? If I start writing the reasons why I like winter the most, it will take a thousand words to explain.
In short, I can say, I love watching foggy mornings in sweaters, seeing various migratory birds flocking around, wearing stylish winter clothes, and definitely – enjoying the amazing fruits & vegetables.
During the winter vacations in my childhood, going to my village was a must every year. Even though I prefer non-veg more, I always loved the taste of fresh vegetables that were farmed in our village, and cooked to village-style perfection!
When I was around 12, I went to my village and had a special dish named Sheem Alu Chingri (Bean Seeds with Shrimp and Potato). The dish was cooked by my aunt. Even though I tried the dish before, the combination of my aunt’s unique recipe and the fresh vegetables took it to a level of perfection. Funny but true, this is the dish that made me believe that vegetables can be delicious too!
What is Sheem Alu Chingri?
Sheem alu chingri (Bean seeds with shrimp and potato) is an authentic Bengali food and one of the most delicious, easily made dishes. It is a famous Bengali dish in the winter season which is generally served with rice. In this Bengali food preparation, you will need bean seeds, potatoes, shrimp, tomatoes, onions, and some spices. It will take only around 20 to 30 minutes to make this food!
Bean seeds are one of the most adaptable and frequently consumed foods throughout the winter. This vegetable is an excellent source of protein, folates, and vitamins A, C, and K; which improve our heart health by lowering the risk of iron deficiency.
What to say about potatoes! Potatoes are the fifth most important crop worldwide, contributing to the food security and incomes of millions of families nowadays. Potatoes being a good source of carbohydrates, potassium, and vitamin C help us to fuel our energy. Even kids also love dishes made with potatoes.
Shrimp (Chingri) is a low-calorie nutrient-dense food containing a hefty serving of protein, vitamin B12 & essential minerals like zinc, selenium, and iodine. If you keep aside the allergic reaction that troubles some people, shrimp can be considered an excellent protein-enriched food.
Needless to say, a curry made with these three nutritious ingredients would certainly make a healthy dish that you can add to your diet without much thinking. Let’s take an idea about the cooking process of this yummy and healthy food!
Ingredients
- 3 cups boiled flat beans (Sheem er Bichi)
- 1 large potato, cubed
- 1.5 cups of raw shrimp, cleaned and patted dry
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 tomatoes or 8-12 cherry tomatoes
- 2 green chilies or poblano peppers
- 1 dried red chili (optional)
- ½ spoon of garlic paste or freshly minced
- ½ spoon of ginger paste or freshly minced
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½ tbsp coriander powder
- salt to taste
- cilantro to garnish
- 1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil
- ½ cup vegetable oil for frying shrimp
- 5-6 cups of water
Instructions
- In a cooking pot, heat oil. Add onion, tomato, green and red chili, garlic, and ginger paste together and saute on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- The mix should slowly start to soften up while browning the onions slowly.
- Add all the powder (½ tbsp turmeric, rest of the red chili, and coriander) and saute on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Once the ingredients start to form a curry base, add 4 cups of water and the flat beans to the pot. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes.
- On a separate frying pan, heat ½ cup vegetable oil for frying the shrimp.
- Mix shrimp with ½ tbsp turmeric powder a little bit of salt and fry till the shrimp become yellowish. Do not cook it all the way as we will add it to the curry.
- After 30 minutes, add potatoes, shrimp, and salt to taste. Add 1 cup of water and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes.
- The curry should turn into a creamy curry base. You can cook longer if you want to make it more creamy, which will slowly mash the potato as well!
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot rice!
Nutrition
This authentic Bengali dish can be the perfect go-to meal for you this winter. This dish is healthy yet delicious. Please leave a comment with your feedback on the dish & share this recipe with your friends to help us present you with more recipes!
