Bhapa Chingri is a Bangladeshi steamed prawn dish — large prawns (chingri) coated in a pungent mustard-coconut paste and steamed until just cooked. The mustard gives a sharp, sinus-clearing heat; the coconut adds sweetness and body. It is the pride of Khulna-Barisal cooking, the most distinctive preparation of Bangladesh's beloved prawns.
Bhapa Chingri (steamed prawns) is a specialty of the Khulna-Barisal region of southwestern Bangladesh, where the riverine landscape produces some of the finest prawns in the world (the region is known for golda chingri — giant freshwater prawns). The bhapa (steaming) technique is distinctively Bengali — the prawns are coated in a paste of ground mustard seeds, coconut, and green chili, wrapped in a banana leaf or placed in a sealed container, and steamed. The mustard paste is the defining element — it gives a pungent, sinus-clearing heat that is unique to Bengali cooking. This dish is different from Chingri Bhape (already in the database) in its use of fresh coconut and its simpler, more focused flavor profile.
A plump, orange-pink prawn, glistening with mustard oil, the meat firm and sweet, coated in a yellow-green paste of ground mustard and coconut. The first bite is sweet prawn; then the mustard heat blooms — sharp, pungent, almost wasabi-like. The coconut rounds it out. It's intense, addictive, and unlike anything else.
The mustard seeds must be ground fresh (pre-ground loses its pungency) and mixed with green chili and coconut. The prawns are coated in this paste and steamed for only 8-10 minutes (overcooking makes them rubbery). Mustard oil is drizzled on top before steaming — it adds pungency and prevents sticking. Traditionally steamed in a banana leaf (which adds its own aroma), but a sealed container works.
Variations
Some use mustard oil instead of seeds; some add yogurt; some use different chili; the steaming time varies by prawn size.
On the Palate
Where Bhapa Chingri sits in the Bangladeshi flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
7 steps · 20 min active + 25 min waiting
- 115 min
Soak 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds in warm water 15 minutes; drain.
- 25 min
Grind the mustard with 1 chopped green chili, 50 g grated coconut, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and 1 tsp salt to a paste.
Watch outGrind the soaked mustard fresh to a smooth paste and use it right away — sit too long and pre-ground mustard loses its sharp pungency.
- 35 min
Coat 8 large prawns (about 500 g, head-on, shell-on) with the paste.
- 42 min
Place in a heatproof dish; drizzle 2 tbsp mustard oil over.
- 510 min
Cover tightly with foil; steam over boiling water 10 minutes.
Watch outSteam just ten minutes and pull the prawns the moment they turn pink and firm — a minute too long and they go rubbery.
- 61 min
The prawns should be just pink and cooked through.
- 71 min
Garnish with cilantro; serve with rice.
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