Loti dia chingri bhaji/ taro stems with shrimp.
Loti Chingri is a cherished Bengali dish that highlights the region’s love for fresh, seasonal ingredients. The tender taro stems known as loti, are combined with plump shrimp (chingri), creating a dish that is both earthy and flavorful. Cooked with simple spices this dish brings out the most flavourOften served with steamed rice, Loti Chingri is a testament to the ingenuity of Bengali cuisine, transforming humble ingredients into a dish that’s deeply satisfying and rich in tradition. This dish is particularly popular in rural kitchens, where fresh taro stems are abundant during certain seasons, making it a celebration of nature’s bounty.
Equipment
- 1 pan/karai to cook
Ingredients
- 250 gram cut and cleaned taro stems I live overseas, as we don't get fresh taro stems here, I got frozen one from a local Bangladeshi shop.
- 200 grams small prawns/ wild freshwater shrimps any fresh shrimp/prawns works
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 4-5 green chili
- 1/2 cup chopped coriander
- 1 slice of lemon
- 1 tsp salt or according to taste
Instructions
- In a pan add oil and add the shrimp heads and tails. cook for a few minutes and get all the flavor out by squeezing the shrimp heads..
- Take them out and in the same oil add onion. cook until golden brown.
- make a slurry with salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and mix well.
- Pour that slurry into the pan once the onions brown.
- mix well. add in some water to prevent burning.
- Once oil seperates and gravy is cooked through, add in the shrimp and give it a mix.
- After two to three minutes of cooking in high flame add in the taro stems.
- mix everything together and cook for 8-10 minutes. stir often.
- Taro stems naturally release water so you don't need to add any. unless you want a thin gravy. I like mine dry so after 6 minutes or so I'll turn the heat up and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add green chili and coriander and simmer in low heat for 5-7minutes.
- It should be done by now, you'll see a nice slimy texture that means taro stems are cooked through properly.
- serve with steam rice and a slice of lemon.
- enjoy.