Used extensively in West Bengal, mustard can easily be seen as the lifeline of Bengali cooking. The mustard plant yields not only seeds but its leaves are also edible, and mustard oil is so popular in the region that it is preferred to the ubiquitous ghee for cooking. The tiny round seeds come in two variations, yellow and black, and are more often used whole as a tempering spice, though it's when they are crushed into a powder and made into a paste that they sets the foundation for chingri shorshe.

This classic Bengali dish is perhaps one of the simplest to cook from the extensive repertoire of dishes from the region but still matches any of the more complex ones in depth of its flavor and texture. It is also one of the quickest to make which makes this one a winner in my kitchen. The whole thing takes 15 minutes flat from stove to plate. The freshness of the ingredients is key: use only fresh prawns and the mustard needs to be freshly ground as well. The natural sweetness of the prawns pairs brilliantly with the heady fresh mustard sauce.

The central theme of this dish is mustard, around which other key characters are assembled. It is critical to heat the mustard oil till it starts to smoke, because that reduces the pungency of the oil and imparts a much mellow and rounded flavor to the prawns. The dried chilies and nigella seeds lay an earthy base for the fresh mustard paste and other spices, but the real genius of this recipe is the addition of the fresh green chilies, which gives enough lift to the sauce and the green coriander garnish which adds the herby freshness. The final result is a delicate dish with a flavorful sauce, which is much milder than you expect, but a stunner on any dining table.

Ingredients:

1kg of prawns
2 table spoon of black mustard seeds
2 table spoon of yellow mustard seeds
1 table spoon of turmeric powder
1 table spoon of hot red chili powder
1/2 table spoon of nigella seeds
3 dried red chilies
2 fresh green chilies
Salt to taste
3 table spoon of mustard oil
1 cup of water
Chopped green coriander

Preparation:

Finely grind the black and yellow mustard seeds in a spice/coffee grinder.
Add the ground mustard powder, red chili powder, turmeric, salt and mix with the cup of water to make a thin paste.
De-shell and devein the prawns. Wash well, dry and put aside.
Heat the mustard oil on high heat, let it smoke for a few seconds.
Add the nigella seeds and the dried red chillies and stir for a couple of seconds.
Slide in the prawns and fry on high heat for a minute, till they start to turn pink.
Stir in the mustard and spice paste first, mix well and put in the green chillies.
Turn the heat to medium and cook for two minutes, till the sauce starts to thicken.
Turn to low and let it cook for another minute.
Garnish with green coriander and serve with steaming white rice.