A famous bengali delicacy : Chingri Macher Malaikari ~ Prawn Malaikari(Prawn cooked in coconut milk)

As I started this blog to introduce Bengali Cuisine(from my side) to the World, recently I realized I havn't posted one classic and traditional Bengali dish yet. This is one such dish we bengalis are very proud of, that is "Chingri Macher malaikari" or Prawn cooked in coconut milk with very mild spices. Don't be surprise to see the use of coconut milk in bengali cuisine as we have lots of veg and non-veg dishes, which are cooked in coconut milk. This is a very fragnant main course dish and is very common during celebrations and festival time meals. This is best enjoyed with hot steamed white rice.

This dish is originally made with prawn's head and tail on, as prawn head adds extra flavour to this flavourful dish. But I generally use prawns with head removed, as my hubby doesn't like prawn with head. If you are using prawns with head on, then they should be cleaned thoroughly.

Ingredients :

Prawns(big/medium size) : 500 gm.(deveined and tails on)

Onions : 2(medium)

Ginger-garlic paste : 2 tblsp.(1/2 inch ginger + 2 small cloves of garlic)

Green chilli : 1 (slitted)

Coconut milk : 2/3 cup

Turmeric powder : 2 tsp.(1 tsp. for marinating prawns and 1tsp. in gravy)

Red chilli powder : 2 tsp.(as per taste)

Sugar : 1 tsp.

Salt to taste

Oil : 2 tblsp.

Whole spices ::::(very necessary, don't omit them)

Bay leaves : 2-3

Cardamoms : 4

Cinnamon : 2(1 inch stick)

Cloves : 5-6

Method :

• Cleaning & marinating the prawns : Remove the hard shell, do not remove the tail, leave it on. To de-vein the prawns, slit the back a little and take out the black thread. For shrimps with heads, carefully cut only the front portion,the eyes etc., do not remove the entire head. After that, devein as above. Wash thoroughly. Marinate them with 1 tsp. turmeric powder and 1 tsp. salt for at least 1/2 an hour or more.
• Preperations : Grind onion, ginger and garlic into fine paste seperately.
• Frying the prawn : Heat enough oil in a pan, to fry the prawns. Do not deep fry them. Fry them lightly in medium flame for 2-3 minutes from both sides until they change their color to light golden. If you overfry the prawns, they tend to harden.
• Cooking : In a seperate pan, heat 2 tblsp. oil, temper with all whole spices one by one, once cloves started to splutter, add onion paste, Saute till onion paste turn little brown, add sugar and saute little more. Then add ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2 more minutes.
• Add turmeric and red chilli powder. Saute for 1-2 minutes, when oil seperates, add coconut milk. Add slitted green chilli. When the gravy starts to boil, add fried prawns and season wth salt. Can add a little water if needed.
• Wait until you have your desired consistency of gravy. I like it little thick. Remove from fire.
•  Enjoy hot with steamed rice or light Pulao.

I'm a prawn lover and as this is one of my favorite prawn dish, I have mastered my skill of making this dish by years and according to my hubby, this is one of my Signature Recipe now.