Prawn Malaicurry ...!! Chingri Malaicurry..!!

Being An extreme Prawn Lover I use to celebrate my every special occasion with this Classic Bengali delicacy Chingri Malaicurry. It is a very famous and popular Bengali preparation served with Steaming hot Rice or Polao for lunch or dinner. This time I made it on my hubby's birthday on last Sunday. I must mention here that this is one of his most favourite dishes. 

Basically this is a mild spicy prawn preparation with little sweetness. It is called "Malai" because of the presence of coconut milk or cream.The curry gets its creaminess from the coconut milk.

Like many other preparations, I have learned to cook this from Maa,only. But during that time, she had to work hard to prepare this. At first she grated coconut and then cooked it for a while in boiling water and then drained the scrapped coconut with a muslin cloth and squeezed to get the coconut milk .OMG..!! I don't know, how she could manage everything. But nowadays ,life is so easy for us.We readily get the canned coconut milk, cream or powder and without any hard work can prepare this.

Here is the Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Prawns(medium to big): 500gm
• Onion : 2 Medium( paste or finely chopped)
• Ginger Paste: 11/2 tsp
• Garlic Paste: 2 tsp
• Tomato : 1 medium( chopped /pureed)
• Coconut Milk: 1/2 cup
• Poppy Seed Paste: 1 tsp ( Optional)
• Fresh Cream: 1-2 tbsp.(Optional)
• Cinnamon Stick:1
• Cloves: 3-4
• Green Cardamom: 2-3
• Bay Leaves: 1
• Turmeric Powder:1 tsp
• Salt: As per taste
• Sugar:1 tsp
• Kashmiri Chilli Powder: 1tsp
• Garam Masala Powder: 1 tsp (1/2 tsp pf ground cinnamon,cloves and cardamoms).
• Mustard Oil:2 tbsp.
• Ghee : 1tsp(Optional)
• Water: 1/4 to 1/2 cup(If required)

Process:

• Wash ,peel and de vein the prawns .Leave the tail.This time I got very fresh big size prawns and that's why I kept the heads intact too.
• Marinate them with little salt and turmeric powder and keep it for 2 mins.
• Then heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan and fry them very slightly and keep aside.
• Now heat the rest of the mustard oil in a deep bottomed vessel.
• Add the cinnamon stick,cloves, cardamom and the bay leaves and on medium heat fry them for a while.
• When the aroma comes out add the sugar and caramelize it.
• Then add the garlic paste and fry it till little brown.Add the tomatoes.Cook until the tomatoes become mushy and very soft.
• Add onion paste and sprinkle little salt.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add the ginger paste and the mustard seeds paste.
• Add turmeric powder,red chilli powder accordingly and mix very well.
• Cook until the oil starts to release from side.
• Meanwhile mix the coconut milk with the heavy cream and whisk it very well with a spoon.
• Now add the prawns into the kadhai and mix them with the masala.
• Then add the coconut cream/milk.At this time you may  add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.It depends on the thickness of the coconut cream.
• Cover and cook until the gravy thickens and prawns are done.
• Now uncover and increase the flame little ,taste the seasoning and adjust the gravy.
• Turn off the flame.
• Heat 1 tsp of ghee in an another pan ,add the garam masala powder and cook for 1 min.
• Pour the ghee on the prawn malaicurry .
• Now your Prawn Malaicurry is ready to serve.
• Enjoy it with steaming hot rice or pulao.

                                                                       Enjoy Your Food...!!!