Prawn malai curry

Chingri macher malai curry (PRAWN MALAI CURRY)recipe 

Course: Main course

Cuisine: Bengali

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Served for: 5 people

INGREDIENTS

For tempering

 bay leaf: 1

2 cloves, 2 cardamoms and 1/2 inch cinnamon stick(half crushed)

 Golda chingri (approx 600 gms):5 Pieces

Onions paste:2 medium 

 Ginger:3/4 Tsp

Garlic:1 Tsp

Curd: 4 tbsp

 Cumin powder:3/4 Tsp

 Coconut milk:2 cups 

Green chillies: 3

 Sugar:1 1/2 Tsp

 red chilli powder: 2tsp

 turmeric powder:1 1/2 Tsp

garam masala powder

salt (as per taste)

 mustard oil: 5Tbsp

METHOD:

How to clean the Golda Chingri 

• First, take the prawns first cut its sharp part(called rostrum) by a scissor.

• Then cut the antennas and both eyes.

• Now remove all the small legs from its abdominal portion, but the large legs should be intact. 

• Then take a toothpick or a sharp edge knife and insert it through its skin (between the joints of the shell) and slowly take out the vein.

• Now slight open the shell of its head and remove the stomach with that toothpick, or a sharp edge knife. Stomach portion lies at the beginning of the head.

• Thoroughly wash the prawns with water to remove all the dirt.

How to make chingri (Prawn)macher malai curry 

• First, take the grated coconut(almost 3/4 of a medium size coconut) in a grinder. Then grind it with little water(warm) as shown in the pic below. And then place it on a big bowl and pour 2 cups of warm water in it and set it aside for 10-15 mins. After 10-15 mins, strain it through a cotton cloth or strainer to collect the extract from it.

• In the meantime, take the prawns in a plate, sprinkle salt and turmeric powder on it and nicely coat its both side with it.

• Then take a pan, put it on medium heat and let it gets hot. Pour 4 tbsp mustard oil in the pan.
• Once when the oil gets hot add the prawns and fry it from both sides. It will take hardly 2-3 mins to get that rich colour from both sides.

• When it gets a nice and rich colour then remove it from the pan and start to prepare its masalas.

• Then put the same pan on the medium heat, add half crushed whole garam masala and bay leaf to the pan.

• Now add the onion paste to the pan. Which we prepared earlier by putting two medium size onions in a small blender jar and make a smooth paste (by using 1 tbsp water with it).

•  Saute the onion paste till the raw smell doesn't go off and it will start releasing the oil from its sides.

• Then add ginger and garlic paste to the pan and saute it for few more seconds.

• Then add 3 green chilli paste to it or you may use it as per your taste.
• Add 1/4 cup or 4 tbsp well-beaten curd to it, mix it well. First, take the curd in a bowl and beat it well with a fork or spoon for some time till it won’t get smooth.

• Saute the masalas with the curd well, then add cumin powder, turmeric powder one by one.

• Then add red chilli powder to it, saute it for few more seconds and then add salt to it according to taste. 

• Next, add sugar in the pan and mix it well, though can add sugar as per your taste.
• Then add 2 cups of coconut milk to the pan(which was collected at the beginning) and mix it well. And bring it to boil.

• Once it starts boiling, add all the fried prawns to the gravy and cover the pan with a lid. In this stage slow down the flame.

• After 5-6 mins remove the lid and turn the prawns, then put the lid once again to let it cook properly from both sides. And it takes total 10-15 mins for me to cook the prawns from both sides.

• Then add the ground garam masala powder(contains 2 cardamoms, 2 cloves, 1/2 inch cinnamon stick) to it and mix it well. Saute it for 2 min. Then turn off the heat. Cover the pan once again to spread the aroma of garam masala over this Bengali prawn or chingri malaikari.

• Serve this Golda chingrir malaikari with piping hot rice.

Tips

• You may remove the shell of the prawns, but intact the head and tail portion of it .
• Don’t remove its head, as the oil inside its head tastes good and that enhance the taste of the curry too.
• Even you may remove or cut the shell of its head to remove its stomach part which I’ve shown in the beginning.
• If you realize, the coconut is sweeter in taste, then add sugar as per your requirement.
• While making the coconut milk, if you use water then don't add extra water to the curry.
• This recipe is little in the sweeter side.