Easy Shrimp and Vegetable Curry with Onion Stalks ( piajkoli diye chingri maach)

This an easy recipe for a mixed vegetable dish in which the Onion Floral Stalks are the main ingredients. Adding some fish to it makes it even more tasty. Tangra Maach ( dwarf striped catfish) or Chingri Maach ( Shrimp/Prawn) are the usual choices for this dish. The Recipe is the same for both of them. Probably other small fish can also be used, but I have not tried that.

Onion flower stalks, which are called Piaj Koli in Bengali are not available throughout the year. I find them in the market in the winter months. Unlike the Onion Leaves (Spring Onions), the flower stalks retains its shape when cooked . Also the stalks are hollow so the juices or gravy get in and tastes great. In the picture below you can see the difference between Piaj Koli ( Onion Floral stalk ) and Piaj saag ( Spring onion).

If the (Piaj Koli) onion floral stalks are not available, you can use the leaves, Spring Onion, ( Piaj Saag). The taste will differ slightly. You will need more leaves than floral stalks because the leaves wilt when cooked.

NOTE: The photos and videos are taken by me on my phone. The videos are a bit shaky unfortunately .

These are the vegetables used

Prepping

• Potato, ( Aloo) – Wash and peel the skin. cut in half lengthwise and then make thick slices
• Eggplant ( Begoon) – Wash and cut into 2 or 3 inch cubes. If you have the Japanese long eggplant the cut lengthwise then into 3 pieces each.
• Onion floral stalks ( piaj koli) – Wash them, then discard any yellowed ones. I discard the bud and a bit of the bottom . Then cut into 2 inch lengths. If you are using Spring onion, first remove the yellowed and dried leaves. Then, cut the leaves into 2 inch lengths. You can chop up the white part or the the bulb into pieces and add them to the sliced onion.
• Green chilies ( kancha lonka) – wash and slit each one.
• Onions ( Piaj ) – Peel onions, make thin slices , and grate some of it too. Amounts are specified in the Ingredients
• Shrimp ( Chingri maach ) . Remove the shell, except the tail. Clean the black thread like thing on the back. Wash well, drain out all the water. sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder on the shrimp , mix well.

Ingredients

• Potatoes ( Aloo) Peeled and cut 175 g
• Eggplant ( Begoon ) cut 135g
• Onion floral stalk ( Piaj koli ) washed and chopped 135g
• onion sliced (piaj ) peeled and sliced162g
• onion grated (piaj bata )15 g or 2 tbsp
• Water ( Jol) 1/2 cup
• Shrimp ((Chingri maach) 250g ( after cleaning)

• Salt ( noon) 1teaspoon
• Turmeric powder ( holud ) 1/4 tsp
• Chili powder ( lonka gudo) 1/4 tsp
• Green chilies ( kancha lonka ) 5 or 6 slit
• Mustard oil ( sorsher tel) 4 tbsp + 2 tbsp
• Nigella seeds ( kalonji/ kalo jire) 1/4 tsp.
• Garlic ( rosun) grated 15g or 1 Tablespoon.

Method

• Heat a wok/ kadai or a pan and add the Mustard oil ( 4 tablespoon)
• Fry the shrimp (250) in this hot oil till the shrimp get reddish. Take the shrimp out with a slotted spoon, onto a plate and keep aside
• Add the Nigella seeds ( 1/4 tsp. ) and a slit 1 green chili to the remaining oil, and stir a minute. You can add couple of more teaspoons of oil to the Wok if necessary.
• Add the Garlic,( 1 tablespoon) stir fry
• Now add theground or grated onion ( 2 tablespoons ), stir fry till the raw onion smell is gone
• Add the sliced onion ( 162 g ) to this and stir fry till they are soft.

Next, add the salt (1 tsp). Then, add Turmeric powder (1/4 tsp) and Chili powder (1/4 tsp). Stir fry for a minute.

Put the ,eggplant ( 135g), potatoes ( 175g), and the onion floral stalks ( 135g) in. Stir a while with the sautéed onion and spices already in the wok/ pan.

Add the remaining slit green chilies and the water ( 1/2 cup)

Cover with a lid and let it simmer.

After about 5 minutes, remove the lid. Check if the vegetables are soft. See if they are almost done or not.

If the eggplant is soft, add in the fried shrimps that you had kept aside .

Give it a stir then put the lid on again.

Let is simmer on low heat for 2 minutes.

After about 2 minutes, open the lid to check the potato. Make sure it is done. There should also be a little gravy.

The dish is ready, It should not be completely dry but should have a little gravy.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve with hot cooked rice or roti.

Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a out 2 days. warm it up in the Microwave when you want to eat it again.

Variation to this recipe.

Tangra Maach piaj koli diye. ( onion floral stalks with Tangra maach)

Tangra is a small ( dwarf) fish, a variety of catfish. It is a fresh water fish found in rivers and pond. Ones I have used are about 8 to 10 cms long.

Clean the fish, keeping the head. Add salt and turmeric powder and let them sit for at least 15 minutes before frying them.

The recipe for the vegetables are the same as above. After adding the fish, let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. This will make the fish soft and help it imbibe the taste.