Chingri mach diye bandhakopi aka bandhakopi chingrir ghonto is a Bengali delicacy and one of the most popular traditional Bengali food. This dry curry is known for its subtle taste, texture and unbeatable flavour. This cabbage prawn recipe is a pure comfort dish which is frequently prepared in almost every Bengali house during the winter season. In this preparation, shredded cabbage is cooked with onion, potato chunks, peas, tomatoes and fried chingri mach aka prawns in some specific spices. It is mostly relished as a side with hot steamed rice.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Health Benefits of Cabbage
How to make Bandhakopi Chingrir ghonto (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
About the recipe
Normally, in our childhood, we used to get fresh and soft cabbages only in winter. But nowadays, it is available almost throughout the year in cities. But still, many interior places of our nation wait for the winter to enjoy fresh cabbages and cauliflowers.
Bengalis are very fond of cabbage curry, especially the Bandhakopir Ghonto preparation. This curry is usually prepared in two different ways, vegetarian and non-vegetarian.
I have already shared the vegetarian version where shredded cabbage is cooked with potato chunks, green peas and some spices. It is mostly served with khichuri, luchi or plain rice. You can check the Bandhakopir Ghonto recipe.
For non-vegetarian cabbage curry, normally fish heads or small fishes or prawns are added in Bandhakopir ghonto. You can check my non-vegetarian version of cabbage curry, macher matha diye bandhakopi recipe too.
Bengalis have an eternal relationship with fish and there is no doubt about it. The addition of fish with vegetables in curries is one of their fortes to make the boring vegetables exciting and yummier. Bengalis frequently add small fishes, prawns and fish heads in different vegetable curries. Chingri mach diye bandhakopi is one of the finest examples of these recipes.
A bowl of chingri mach diye bandhakopi with plain rice, dal and jhuri aloo bhaja is just like a bliss which only a bong can imagine. I am pretty sure many people are on the same side as me. If you have never tried it then I recommend you try it at least once.
Honestly, I had never prepared any bandhakopi ghonto before my marriage. One day, I just picked a cabbage from the market and then wondered how to cook it. Then I called my mom over the phone and got the recipe from her. It turned out very good. My husband loved the preparation. Now it has become one of the most frequently prepared recipes at our home.
Chingri mach diye bandhakopi is a very simple and easy recipe. It requires minimal ingredients to prepare. It takes very little effort to prepare this dish. It is a very delicious side dish and goes very well with steamed rice. As the dry curry has its own strong flavour, so it does not go well with any flavoured rice.
Bandhakopi chingrir ghonto recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section. If you follow the steps carefully, you will get the perfect flavoured cabbage prawn curry. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share a few interesting facts about the key ingredient cabbage.
Health benefits of Cabbage
- Cabbage is rich in fibre and low in calories which make it a great companion for weight loss.
- It is full of Vitamin C which helps to detoxify our body.
- The potassium content of cabbage helps to control the blood sugar level of our body.
- It is a good source of Vitamin K which is an important component of our brain to function.
- It helps to make our skin and hair healthy and glowing.
Reason for the popularity of Chingri mach diye Bandhakopi
- Bandhakopi Chingrir Ghonto is easy to make and gets prepared without much hustle.
- It is a very healthy and light dish prepared using minimal spices.
- It is undoubtedly the best way to make your kids eat cabbage.
How to make Bandhakopi Chingrir ghonto?
To prepare the chingri mach diye bandhakopi, first cut the cabbage into thin small strips and wash the shredded cabbage once. Then drain the water and keep them aside.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into medium pieces. Marinate the potatoes with salt and turmeric powder and keep them aside.
Cut the other vegetables and make them ready to use like onion, tomato, ginger paste etc.
On the other hand, clean and wash the prawns. Then marinate them with salt and turmeric powder for at least 10 minutes and keep it aside.
On the other hand, put a pan on flame and add mustard oil to it. The usage of mustard oil enhances the flavour and taste of the dish. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated prawns to the pan and fry them in low flame for some time. Don’t over-fry the prawns or else it will become rubbery. Keep them aside on a separate plate.
In the same pan, add the potato chunks into the pan and then fry them till crisp and golden in colour. Then keep them aside on a separate plate.
Now add oil if required into the pan and add whole spices bay leaf, dry red chillies, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, and cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Then add onion slices into the pan and fry them over medium flame for 5-6 minutes till translucent. Now, add ginger paste to the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it over low flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Add the tomato chunks and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 4-5 minutes.
In the meantime, take a bowl and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and some water into it. Make a paste of the spices and add it to the pan. Add some salt and cook it on low flame for another couple of minutes.
Add the shredded cabbage to the pan and mix it well. Add some green chillies and cover the pan. Cook it over medium flame for 10-15 minutes and stir it in between if required.
Then add the green peas and mix them well. Cover the pan and cook it for 2-3 minutes over low flame.
Now add the fried potatoes, sugar into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it for another 6-8 minutes until the cabbage and potatoes get tender.
After this add the fried prawns into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 5 minutes.
In the meantime, take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour into it. Add 3 tablespoons of water and make a smooth lumps-free slurry. Take off the lid of the pan, add the slurry into the pan and mix it well. It helps to give a nice texture to the curry. Cook it for another 1-2 minutes on low flame.
At the final stage of cooking, add Bengali garam masala powder (a ground spice mixture which contains an equal portion of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves) and ghee (clarified butter) to the pan. These spices complement the flavour of the dish very well.
Check the salt of the curry and add if required. Cook it for 10-15 more seconds and then switch off the flame.
Many traditional Bengali foods with prawns have already been shared in my previous posts. You may like these recipes too.
Lau chingri
Echor chingri
Kumro chingri
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
To marinate the prawn
- 400 grams Prawns (Chingri)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
To marinate the potato
- 2 Potatoes, medium pieces
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
For the spice paste
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
For the slurry
- 1 teaspoon Atta aka all-purpose Flour, for slurry
- 3 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for the curry
- 1 medium Cabbage, shredded
- ¼ cup green Peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large Tomato, cut into chunks
- ½ tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 2-3 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 4 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 4-5 Cloves (Laung)
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
- 1-2 dry red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam Masala powder
- 1 teaspoon Ghee (Clarified butter)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking
Instructions:
- First, cut the cabbage into thin small strips and wash the shredded cabbage once. Then drain the water and keep them aside.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into medium pieces. Marinate the potatoes with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and keep them aside.
- Cut the other vegetables and make them ready to use like onion, tomato, ginger paste etc.
- On the other hand, clean and wash 400 grams of prawns.
- Marinate them with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder for at least 10 minutes and keep them aside.
- On the other hand, put a pan on flame and add 3 tablespoons of mustard oil to it.
- Once the oil is hot, add the marinated prawns to the pan and fry them in low flame for some time. Don’t over-fry the prawns or else it will become rubbery. Keep them aside on a separate plate.
- In the same pan, add the marinated potato chunks into the pan and then fry them till crisp and golden in colour. Then keep them aside on a separate plate.
- Add oil if required into the pan and add whole spices 2 bay leaves, 1-2 dry red chillies, 4-5 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 4 cardamoms, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Add onion slices into the pan and fry them over medium flame for 5-6 minutes till translucent.
- Add ½ tablespoon ginger paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it over low flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the tomato chunks and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 4-5 minutes.
- In the meantime, take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1½ teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 2 tablespoons water into it. Make a paste of the spices and add it to the pan.
- Add some salt and cook it on low flame for another couple of minutes.
- Add the shredded cabbage to the pan and mix it well.
- Add 2-3 green chillies and cover the pan. Cook it over medium flame for 10-15 minutes and stir it in between if required.
- Add ¼ cup green peas and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it for 2-3 minutes over low flame.
- Add the fried potatoes, 1-2 teaspoons sugar into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it for another 6-8 minutes until the cabbage and potatoes get tender.
- Add the fried prawns into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour into it. Add 3 tablespoons of water and make a smooth lumps-free slurry.
- Take off the lid of the pan, add the slurry into the pan and mix it well. It helps to give a nice texture to the curry. Cook it for another 1-2 minutes on low flame.
- At the final stage of cooking, add 1 teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon ghee (clarified butter) into the pan and mix it well.
- Check the salt of the curry and add if required. Cook it for 10-15 more seconds and then switch off the flame.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the bandhakopi chingrir ghonto into a serving bowl. Serve hot or warm with plain rice and Dal and enjoy the comforting meal of Bengal.
Ingredients
To marinate the prawn
- 400 grams Prawns (Chingri)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
To marinate the potato
- 2 Potatoes, medium pieces
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
For the spice paste
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
For the slurry
- 1 teaspoon Atta aka all-purpose Flour, for slurry
- 3 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for the curry
- 1 medium Cabbage, shredded
- ¼ cup green Peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large Tomato, cut into chunks
- ½ tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 2-3 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 4 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 4-5 Cloves (Laung)
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
- 1-2 dry red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam Masala powder
- 1 teaspoon Ghee (Clarified butter)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking
Instructions
- First, cut the cabbage into thin small strips and wash the shredded cabbage once. Then drain the water and keep them aside.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into medium pieces. Marinate the potatoes with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and keep them aside.
- Cut the other vegetables and make them ready to use like onion, tomato, ginger paste etc.
- On the other hand, clean and wash 400 grams of prawns.
- Marinate them with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder for at least 10 minutes and keep them aside.
- On the other hand, put a pan on flame and add 3 tablespoons of mustard oil to it.
- Once the oil is hot, add the marinated prawns to the pan and fry them in low flame for some time. Don’t over-fry the prawns or else it will become rubbery. Keep them aside on a separate plate.
- In the same pan, add the marinated potato chunks into the pan and then fry them till crisp and golden in colour. Then keep them aside on a separate plate.
- Add oil if required into the pan and add whole spices 2 bay leaves, 1-2 dry red chillies, 4-5 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 4 cardamoms, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Add onion slices into the pan and fry them over medium flame for 5-6 minutes till translucent.
- Add ½ tablespoon ginger paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it over low flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the tomato chunks and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 4-5 minutes.
- In the meantime, take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1½ teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 2 tablespoons water into it. Make a paste of the spices and add it to the pan.
- Add some salt and cook it on low flame for another couple of minutes.
- Add the shredded cabbage to the pan and mix it well.
- Add 2-3 green chillies and cover the pan. Cook it over medium flame for 10-15 minutes and stir it in between if required.
- Add ¼ cup green peas and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it for 2-3 minutes over low flame.
- Add the fried potatoes, 1-2 teaspoons sugar into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it for another 6-8 minutes until the cabbage and potatoes get tender.
- Add the fried prawns into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour into it. Add 3 tablespoons of water and make a smooth lumps-free slurry.
- Take off the lid of the pan, add the slurry into the pan and mix it well. It helps to give a nice texture to the curry. Cook it for another 1-2 minutes on low flame.
- At the final stage of cooking, add 1 teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon ghee (clarified butter) into the pan and mix it well.
- Check the salt of the curry and add if required. Cook it for 10-15 more seconds and then switch off the flame.
