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Bangladeshi

Chingri bhuna

Non-vegetarian

চিংড়ি ভুনা · Chingri bhuna

Prawns quickly cooked in a thick, well-fried masala of onion, garlic, tomato and chilli until the sauce clings. A fast weeknight curry from Bangladesh's rivers and coast.

Chingri bhuna is a Bangladeshi main course, ready in about 40 minutes and made with prawns / shrimp and onion. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prawn bhuna: prawns in a thick, spicy reddish-brown masala topped with coriander
Photo: Monali.mishra / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
241

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Toss the prawns (opens in a new tab) with half the turmeric (opens in a new tab) and a pinch of the salt. Heat the mustard oil (opens in a new tab) until it shimmers and fry the prawns for 1 minute per side, then lift out.

    Food safety: Keep raw shellfish chilled until cooking.

  2. Step 2

    In the same oil, fry the onions (opens in a new tab) until golden, then add the garlic (opens in a new tab) and ginger and cook for 1 minute.

    • 10 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the tomato (opens in a new tab), remaining turmeric (opens in a new tab), cayenne, cumin (opens in a new tab), coriander and salt with the water and fry until the tomato breaks down and the oil separates.

    • 7 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Return the prawns (opens in a new tab) with the green chillies and toss for 2–3 minutes until just cooked and coated. Finish with garam masala (opens in a new tab) and coriander.

    • 3 min
    • medium heat

    Food safety: Cook prawns until opaque throughout.

About this dish

Origin
Bangladesh · Commonly attributedAlso popular in IndiaMore food from Bangladesh
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Curries
Cooking method
Sautéed, Simmered
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), savoury, garlicky
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · One-pan
Cook more with
Prawns / shrimp · Onion · Turmeric · Mustard oil · Garlic · Fresh ginger
Techniques
Sautéing · Simmering · Bhunao

Allergens

  • Contains: Crustaceansfrom prawns / shrimp
  • Contains, can be adapted: Mustardfrom mustard oil

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

241 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 255 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 43%
  • Carbohydrate 16%
  • Fat 41%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy241 kcal94 kcal
Protein26.7 g10.4 g
Carbohydrate9.8 g3.8 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre——
Fat11.3 g4.4 g
Saturated fat1.4 g0.5 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol201 mg79 mg
Sodium884 mg346 mg
Salt equivalent2.2 g0.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
563 mg
Calcium
118 mg
Iron
1.8 mg
Magnesium
62 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
—
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: coriander leaves.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Searing the prawns first and returning them at the end keeps them juicy while the masala cooks down.

Common mistakes

  • Overcooking the prawns — they turn rubbery within minutes.

Serve with

  • Serve with plain rice and dal.

Food safety

  • Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours; reheat prawns only once.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days in the fridge.

Reheating

  • Reheat briefly in a pan just until hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3, 4

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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