CHINGRI MALAI CURRY

Bengalis love chingri malai curry, small sized prawns cooked in creamy gravy. This is a mildly spiced, yellow coloured dish which is easy to prepare and quick too. It gets its creaminess from coconut milk and melon seeds paste. Cashew nuts can also be used.

The given weight of prawns is after cleaning and deveining. I have used readymade coconut milk in this recipe. Coconut milk can be very easily prepared at home. Make a fine paste of grated coconut with a cup of water. Strain it through a sieve to get thick milk of coconut. This first extract is the best

Recipe for Chingri malai curry

Ingredients for Chingri malai curry

• 250 gms small prawns (shelled and deveined)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp melon seeds
•  1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tomato (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamoms
• ¼ + ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 pinch of garam masala
• 2 green chillies (roughly chopped)
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup mustard oil

How to make

Marinate the prawns in some salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes.

Heat mustard oil. Fry the prawns for not more than two minutes. Keep aside.

In the same oil add bay leaves and cardamom pods.

Add onions. Cook till translucent.

Now add in the ginger garlic paste. Saute for a minute.

Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and cumin powder. Mix well.

Add in the tomato and cook 3 to 4 minutes till it turns soft.

Add in the prawns and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat.

Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the coconut milk and mix well.

Season with salt. Sprinkle garam masala. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Serve with parantha, rice.