Chingri Macher Malaikari / Prawn Malaikari

If you think that chingrir malakari is the best that Bengalis can do with prawns...then my dear it’s just the epitome of your ignorance towards the varsity of our cuisine. As much as I love the Chingri Macher Malaikari...I just hate the opinion most of the non-Bengalis have towards our cuisine. I am tired explaining that there is nothing sort of Bengali fish curry...and we don’t mean malaikari when we talk about prawns. There are also jhal, bora, bata and jhol...which we make, and the simplicity of those curries are the main reason that they still exist whereas many other curries of Bengali cuisine has ceased to exist because of their complications.

However Chingri Macher Malakari is a serious concoction made with aromatic whole spices and coconut milk. It’s one of the finest curries emerging from Bengal and the crown jewel among the prawn recipes. So...while everyone fights over Hilsa and Prawns...I simply enjoy both.

Shallow fry the prawns smeared with turmeric powder and salt.

Add ghee to the remaining oil and add the whole spices and garlic paste. Saute until the garlic turns golden.

Add the chopped onions. Sprinkle some salt and sugar.

Saute the onions until golden brown. Add the ginger paste.

Add slit green chillies.

Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Cook for a minute.

Add coconut milk and simmer on low to medium covered for 10-12 minutes.

Add the prawns and simmer for 3-4 minutes more.

Add garam masala powder and ghee.

Stir to mix and switch off the flame.

Chingri Macher Malaikari / Prawn Malaikari / Bengali Aromatic Prawn Curry with Coconut Milk

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

½ kg jumbo prawns / tiger prawns

2 onions – chopped

4 fat cloves of garlic – paste

½ inch ginger – paste

1 can of thick full fat coconut milk

1 and ½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 large cinnamon stick

3 green cardamoms

3 cloves

1 large bay leaf

2 tbsp ghee + more to drizzle in the end

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp homemade garam masala powder

Salt

1 tsp sugar

Method:

De-vein the prawns. You can keep the head and the shell if you like. If you are keeping the head, remove the eyes. I have only kept the tail of the prawns as they look beautiful with that.

Marinate the prawns with ½ tsp turmeric powder and some salt. Rub the spices over the prawns generously and keep aside for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in the kadai and shallow fry the marinated prawns for a minute or until the prawns are golden. Take them out of the pan immediately and place in a separate bowl.

Add the ghee to the remaining oil. Let the ghee melt and then add the whole spices, i.e. cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves and bay leaf.

Sauté until the ghee becomes aromatic.

Add the garlic paste and sauté until the garlic becomes golden.

Add the chopped onions to them. Sprinkle some salt and add the sugar.

Mix and stir and cook until the onions are lightly golden brown.

 Add the ginger paste and cook for half a minute.

Add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Stir and cook them for a minute and then add ¼ cup of water.

Cook until the oil separates and the onions are kind of mushy.

Pour in the can of coconut milk and stir to mix.

Cover the kadai and simmer on low to medium flame for about 10-12 minutes.

After 10 minutes open the cover and add the fried prawns to them.

Simmer uncovered for an additional 3-4 minutes. Overcooking the prawns will make them like rubber, so make sure that your curry is almost ready before adding the prawns, so that you don’t need to cook over 5 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Sprinkle the garam masala powder and drizzle some ghee.

Switch off the flame and serve hot with some plain rice or basanti pulao or Bengali fried rice.