Shrimp with sponge gourd and Bengali spices

Ingredients

• 300 g of medium-sized shrimp
• 1 medium-sized sponge gourd (also known as ridge gourd)
• One medium-sized potato
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 to 6 green chili peppers
• 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon of cilantro powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/4 cup of nigella seeds
• 1/4 cup of garam masala powder
• Turmeric powder
• salt
• oil paint in the color of mustard
• 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped cilantro
• 360 ml of water

Thoroughly clean and wash the shrimp. Coat them with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and 1 teaspoon of salt, then let them sit for a moment.

Peel the tough skin of the pumpkin lightly, wash it, cut it in half lengthwise, and then into smaller pieces.

Peel the potato, cut it into half-moons, wash it, and set it aside.

Heat the oil in a wok and briefly fry the shrimp. Remove them and set aside.

In the same pan, fry the potato and squash pieces for about 1 minute, then set them aside.

If necessary, add a little oil paint and then crush the nigella seeds.

Once it starts to sizzle, add the onion and cook it until it is lightly golden.

Add the green chili peppers, ginger, cumin, cilantro, Kashmiri chili, turmeric, and salt, and stir.

While the spices are cooking, add a little water gradually to prevent them from burning.

When the oil paint separates from the spices, add 360 ml of water and bring to a boil.

Once the broth is simmering, add the shrimp, apples, and squash, then stir.

Cover and cook over low heat until the vegetables are tender.

Finally, sprinkle with garam masala and fresh cilantro, then turn off the heat.