Bengali Style Prawn Pulao – Chingri Polao

Prawn Pulao Or Chingri Pulao: Most Bengali dishes are praised for their delicate flavours!  This Prawn Pulao or Chingri Polao is one of them! So, add this Pulao to your feasting menu to make it extra special! It is one of those tempting dishes that looks, smells and tastes like that you have been working in the kitchen for long hours! But, in reality, it requires minimal active efforts, and it is easy to make with everyday ingredients.

Why Bengali Pulao is different from other Pulao recipes

Most of the time, people consider Pulao to be a weeknight one-pot meal. It is mostly served with Pickle, Curd, Papad or Raita. But, in Bengali cuisine, Pulao is not for week-night dinner or quick daily meals. On the contrary, Bengali style Pulao is a major attraction of a feasting menu. 

The short-grain rice is used in most Bengali Pulao recipes, which is why the texture of most Bengali Pulao is sticky. However, sticky doesn’t mean gummy. That means the grains stick together more rather than being crumbly.

The ingredients for Prawn Pulao!

There is a lengthy list of ingredients, but nothing is exotic. You can find all the spices and ingredients in regular supermarkets.

Rice

Aromatic short-grain rice is often used to cook pulao. One of the markabAromatic short-grain rice is often used for cooking pulao. One of the markable short-grain rice that you get in West Bengal effortlessly is Gobindo Bhog! Kalijeera, Chinigura are the short-grain rice that we get here in Australia. But, you will get them only in a Bangladeshi shop. Jeerakasala, also called Wayanadan Kaima, is another Indian short-grain rice variety I often use for Pulao or Khichuri. But, if you don’t want to make a special trip to your Indian or Bangladeshi grocery shop, then you can use any non-starchy short-grain rice. Just make sure that you are buying the aged rice to avoid crumbly texture.

Prawn

I prefer to use medium size prawns ( shrimps ) for Pulao. Instead of frozen cooked prawns. I buy deveined and descaled Banana prawns from our fish shop.

Flavours

Flavours are always add in layers in Bengali Pulao recipes. Red onion, Ginger, Green chillies are the primary flavour base.

Spices

There is a subtle flavouring used for this Pulao. The secret of making flavourful Pulao is the right blend of strong, savoury, sweet, floral, lemony flavoured spices, like green cardamom, clove, bay leaves. 

Ghee

Good quality Ghee is a must to make a flavourful Pulao. So try to use a Gawa Ghee for the best result.

Nuts and raisins

Not mandatory but a little bit crunchy and sweet bites add extra deliciousness.

Serve the Prawn Pulao with

Fish batter fry or Fish Chop or Vegetable Chop

Mutton Korma or Bengali Mutton curry

Tomato Chutney

Chanar Payesh

Here is the detailed recipe, hope you enjoy it!

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