Prawn malai curry (chingri malai). Take prawns (shrimp) to a whole new delicious level with this recipe. This creamy curry is made with a coconut based sauce, and perfectly depicts the iconic flavors of eastern Indian cuisine. Frying prawns is crucial to create the classic version, and doubles in flavor when paired with beautiful sauce.
Is it just me or does it seem impossible to choose from the amazing variety of curry sauce based dishes that are rich and hearty with unique flavors? Most often, I will either go with a simple dish, or spend hours to combine different flavors to create the best one. And that changes here. In this recipe, we are going beyond the basic prawn curry, and combine expected flavor elements to transform it into next level deliciousness.
I agree, recreating a restaurant-worthy dish at home might be intimidating, but, here is a recipe with detailed instructions to help you with the cooking. Here’s the best tip to make the perfect chingri malai - fry the prawns (shrimp) before adding them to the creamy sauce. The coconut milk brings in the creaminess with less effort. Trust me, this curry is one that even a beginner can cook but looks beautifully curated by an expert.
Key Ingredients In Prawn Malai Curry
- Prawns or shrimp - Use large prawns, and devein before marinating.
- Coconut milk - This makes the sauce rich and creamy.
- Garam masala - Bengali garam masala is used in the authentic recipe, but replace it with regular garam masala if you like. See “notes” for the recipe.
- Tomatoes - They impart the rich and vibrant color.
- Spices - You will need both whole and powdered spices.
How To Make Prawn Malai Curry
Marinate and fry prawns (shrimp) - The marinade is simple with just ground turmeric and a touch of salt. If you have time, marinate them for about 10-15 minutes. Then, shallow fry for about 45 seconds on each side.
Creamy curry - Start with frying bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cloves and cardamom followed by sauteing onions. Fry ginger and garlic until you get a nice aroma.
The ground spices like turmeric, cumin and red chili powder get a quick stir fry, before the addition of chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Stir in coconut milk and water.
Next, add in prawns and let it cook for about 4-5 minutes. Stir in ghee and garam masala. Heat through.
Prawn Malai Curry | Chingri Malai
Ingredients
Marinate and fry prawns (shrimp):
- 700 g prawns shrimp, deveined and tails intact
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons oil to fry prawns
Curry:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 - inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cm ginger minced
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ cup canned diced tomatoes or puréed fresh tomatoes
- 2 green chilies slit
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Garnish:
- Coriander cilantro leaves
Serve:
- Rice or naan
Instructions
- Place prawns (shrimp) in a large bowl.
- Add ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric. Season with salt. Toss to coat.
- Cover and marinate for about 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator if time permits.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add prawns. Cook for about 45 seconds on each side or until the prawns turn pink.
- Remove from pan. Set aside.
- To the same pan, add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon ghee.
- When hot, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté, stirring, for about 30 seconds or until aromatic.
- Add onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes or until browned..
- Add garlic and ginger. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for a minute or until fragrant.
- Add ground turmeric, ground cumin and red chili powder. Sauté, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes and green chilies. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes or until mushy and cooked.
- Add coconut milk and water. Stir to combine. Season with salt. Bring to a boil. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes.
- Add prawns (shrimp). Simmer for another 3-4 minutes or until the prawns are cooked through.
- Add 1 teaspoon ghee and garam masala. Stir.
- Heat through.
- Garnish with coriander (cilantro) leaves.
- Serve with rice or naan.
Notes
- Oil - Use mustard oil for authentic taste.
- Garam masala - Bengali garam masala is used in the authentic recipe, which is a combination of equal amounts of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. If not easily available, you can substitute with regular garam masala.
- Prawn tails - Peel them off before eating.
Nutrition
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