Steamed Shrimp in Yogurt-Mustard Sauce (Bhapa Chingri)
Steamed Shrimp in the yogurt-mustard sauce is quite popular on the west side of Bengal. Today’s recipe is an improvised version of the traditional dish. You can make this with Prawns instead of Shrimps without compromising the taste. This dish is commonly known as “Bhapa Chingri” in colloquial Bengali where “Bhapa” means “Steamed”.
There are some very distinct differences in cooking style and taste between the East Bengal (current Bangladesh) and West Bengal cuisines. Though with times both the cuisine has merged a lot, still there are some subtle differences. In my house, my dad’s family originally comes from East Bengal. My paternal grandparents spent their life and my father spent a part of his childhood in Bangladesh before the partition. Whereas my mother’s family belonged from what is known as West Bengal now. Thus in our own house, we have seen these two different cuisines to merge. In West Bengal Shrimps/Prawns especially jumbo prawns, giant tiger prawns are considered to be a delicacy. There are various mouth-watering dishes made out of these, among them this steamed shrimp in yogurt and mustard sauce is the easiest.
Steamed Shrimp sauce ingredients 
Steamed shrimp ingredients are mixed together 
Raw shrimp cleaned and deveined 
Raw Shrimp mixed with sauce ingredients 
Cooked Shrimp in yogurt mustard sauce
As I mentioned before, I have improvised the original recipe to my taste. I like to add a little yogurt in the recipe for two reasons. One, it mellows down the strong flavor of mustard and second, it makes the sauce in the right consistency. This dish tastes out of the world with steamed white or brown rice. I have also added Poppyseed powder, as I have seen my mom doing. This can be optional, but definitely it adds another flavor which worth trying. I generally ground these powders dry in my coffee grinder. Keeping the shrimps tail is optional. I like it that way, as they help to preserve the shape better. The key to this recipe is to steam it at the right amount of time so that the shrimps are juicy and succulent. You can prepare this dish on the stovetop, in the microwave, in a conventional oven, in pressure cooker or as I preferred in Instant Pot.
Yields 6
15 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
35 minTotal Time
Save Recipe5 based on 1 review(s)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Large Shrimp (around 20-21 Shrimps) Cleaned and Deveined
- 2 tbsp Mustard Powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp Poppyseed Powder
- 3 tbsp Grated Coconut
- 2 tbsp Yogurt
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Salt (as per taste)
- 1 tbsp Mustard Oil
- 3-4 Green Chillies (as per taste)
- 8 tbsp Water
Instructions
- Soak mustard powder, 4 tbsp of hot water, 1/4 tsp of salt and turmeric for 10 minutes
- Soak poppyseed powder, 4 tbsp of hot water, 1/4 of salt for 10 minutes
- Clean and Devein the shrimps
- Mix together yogurt, coconut, soaked mustard powder, poppyseed powder, mustard oil together
- Chop 2 green chillies into it
- Adjust Salt and spice as per taste
- Add shrimp into this mixture
- Top with two slitted green chillies and a little mustard oil (optional)
- Pour 1/2 cup of water under the Instant Pot rack
- Pour the marinated shrimp in a container safe to use inside Instant Pot ( I used Pyrex glass container)
- Cover with aluminum foil
- Set Instant Pot in Sealing
- Start Instant Pot in Steam mode for 20 minutes
- Let it rest a few minutes before opening
- Ready to be served!
Notes
This can be made in oven as well, just add a tray of water under the top rack, and pit the covered shrimp on the top rack. Bake on 350 degree F for 35 minutes.
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