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Westbengal · Dinner

Chingri Malai Curry

Plump prawns simmered in coconut milk with cardamom and a hint of green chilli — delicate, creamy and unmistakably Bengali.

🧺 Ingredients

• Large prawns (tiger/bagda chingri): 500g, shell-on heads removed, deveined
• Coconut milk (thick): 250ml
• Coconut milk (thin): 150ml
• Onion: 150g, ground to paste
• Ginger paste: 1 tsp
• Turmeric: 1 tsp
• Green chillies: 3, slit
• Green cardamom: 4, lightly crushed
• Bay leaf: 1
• Mustard oil: 3 tbsp (45ml)
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Sugar: ½ tsp
• Do not overcook prawns in final step — 3 min is enough

👩‍🍳 How to make Chingri Malai Curry

1. Toss prawns in ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp salt.
2. Heat oil to smoking.
3. Fry prawns 1–2 min per side until pink.
4. Remove.
5. Add cardamom and bay leaf to same oil; fry 30 sec.
6. Add onion paste; cook until light golden and moisture evaporates.
7. Add ginger paste; fry 2 min.
8. Add remaining turmeric, salt and sugar.
9. Stir.
10. Add thin coconut milk and green chillies; bring to gentle simmer.
11. Cook 5 min.
12. Add thick coconut milk; simmer gently — do not boil or it will split.
13. Return prawns; heat through 3 min.
14. Serve with basmati or gobindobhog rice.

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