Bheeda ma jhinga

 Bheeda ma jhinga 

Okra with prawn

Parsis enjoy eating their vegetables with a protein, usually meat. While bheeda ma gos (okra with meat) is common, bheeda ma jhinga (okra with prawn) is not. It was a favourite of my brother and cousin, who preferred prawns to meat!

It's a simple dish with few ingredients that tastes great. Traditionally, the okra is fried before being added to the prawn mixture, but I tend to roast them in the oven. Eaten with a rotli and a mango chutney, you will not be disappointed.

Serves 4

2 tbsp oil

3 medium sized fried onions

3 medium finely chopped tomatoes

2 green chillies finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp garlic paste

1 1/2 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp salt

340 g| 3/4 lb prawns - shelled deveined washed

500 g| 1.1 lb okra top and tail cleaned and cut in 1/2 inch pieces

Heat the oil in a pan, then add the onions, green chilies, garlic ginger pastes, chilli turmeric cumin powders, and tomatoes. Season with salt to taste. Combine thoroughly. Cook for about 15 minutes on low, or until everything comes together and is thoroughly cooked. Mix in the prawns, then add the roasted okra. Toss well, cover, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes before serving with warm rotlis.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C |350 °F

Wash the okra and cut it into three pieces. Brush the prepared okra with oil and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30 minutes in the oven.

Tips

Instead of frying your onions, use a cup of crushed fried onions.

A squeeze of lemon after the dish is complete, before serving will brighten up the flavours. 

Photo credit Niloufer Mavalvala

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.