Chingri malai curry is undoubtedly the most delicious and most loved recipe from the rich Bengali cuisine and every Bengali simply freaks on it!
Chingri malai curry, which can also be described as shrimps/prawns in silky-smooth coconut milk gravy, is an immensely popular Bengali delicacy and I can’t tell you how much I am in love with this classic. If I may say so, this chingri malai curry might be the real reason behind my blind love for chingri a.k.a. shrimps or prawns. I have had my fair share of chingri malai curry since my childhood days; it used to be a must-have recipe for any family get-together of ours.
When I used to devour this chingri malai curry in my childhood and I had zero idea about cooking, I used to wonder how something could taste so good and creamy each time I was served this delicacy. It seemed nothing less than a magic to me, honestly. But finally, I myself learnt how to make chingri malai curry and here I am today sharing the recipe of chingri malai curry with ya’all!
You will obviously find zillions of pages with chingri malai curry recipe on net. Then why am I adding one more page with the same? Well, simply because I love my chingri malai curry and it is this very love for good food and passion for cooking that I had started my blog in the first place, isn’t it? And my humble objective is to fill our blog with all possible recipes under the sun which anyone would like to search, learn and make at home.
The most difficult part of making chingri malai curry is to stop myself from eating up the whole thing while making it in the name of tasting for seasoning etc.! Trust me, I am not making this up! This has really happened to me with various dishes and at the end of the cooking, I had nothing left to serve at the table! Embarrassing, I know! I can eat shrimps in any form, but this chingri malai curry is the all-time winner for me. If you haven’t yet tried making chingri malai curry at home, I urge you give this easy recipe a shot asap and you will also fall in love with it, instantly!
- Prawns – 500 gms, medium size
- Coconut milk – 150 ml
- Onion – 2 large
- Garlic cloves – 8 to 10
- Bay leaf – 1
- Cloves – 4
- Green cardamom – 3 to 4
- Cinnamon stick – 1 inch piece
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Mustard oil – 4 tbsp
- Sugar – 2 tbsp
- Garam masala powder – ¾th tsp
- Salt to taste
- Wash, peel and devein the prawns keeping the tails intact, which will add more to the presentation.
- Smear the prawns with a pinch of turmeric and ¼ tsp salt.
- Heat oil in a wok and sauté the prawns quickly for a minute. Take out from the wok and set aside.
- Make a smooth paste of the onions. Crush the garlic cloves.
- Heat oil in the same wok in which the prawns were sautéed.
- When the oil is quite hot, temper it with the bay leaf, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon stick.
- As the spices start to splutter and give out the aroma, add the crushed garlic. Saute it for a minute or two.
- Add the onion paste and saute till golden brown and soft.
- Now add the coconut milk, turmeric powder, sugar and salt. If the gravy looks too thick, add half a cup of warm water.
- When it comes to boil, add the sautéed prawns. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes to let the prawns soak up all the flavors.
- Uncover the wok and check if the prawns are cooked through.
- If you want the gravy thicker, then boil it on high heat for 2-3 minutes more till it reaches to your desired consistency.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle the garam masala all over. Cover and keep for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Serve the tempting chingri malai curry hot with basmati rice. Enjoy!
Its a real flavourful recipe. Try the same recipe once, with tender coconut pulp and tender coconut water. You may find some magic.
That sounds an interesting suggestion! Will surely try it next time! Thanks! 🙂