Chingri Malai Curry (Bengali Prawns in Coconut)

Chingri malai curry is served at Bengali weddings and Sunday lunches. Large prawns – ideally with their heads, for flavour – are cooked in coconut milk with a little sugar and gentle spices.

It is mild, rich and slightly sweet. Eat it with plain steamed rice.

• Serves 4
• Prep 15 min
• Cook 25 min
• gluten-free · Mild
• Famous in West Bengal

Ingredients

• 500 g large prawns, shelled with tails on (heads on if you like)
• ½ tsp turmeric + ½ tsp salt for the prawns
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp mustard oil or ghee
• 1 bay leaf, 4 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 3 cm cinnamon
• 1 onion, grated or blended
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 2 green chillies, slit
• Salt

Method

1. Rub the prawns with turmeric and salt. Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry them for 1 minute per side; take them out.
2. Add the rest of the oil, then the bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.
3. Add the onion paste and fry on medium heat until light golden, 6–8 minutes. Add ginger and chilli and fry 1 minute.
4. Pour in the coconut milk, add sugar, salt and green chillies and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
5. Add the prawns and simmer 3–4 minutes until just cooked. Sprinkle with garam masala and serve.

Tip: Do not boil the prawns too long – they turn rubbery. They are done when they curl into a C.

Shop the ingredients

Everything you need for this recipe is in stock at Farmah’s – order online or pick it up at Annenstraße 41, Graz.