Chingri Macher Malaikari (Prawn in cream of Coconut)

Updated: With new photos

This makes it into the top 10 dishes of most bongs. Evolved in Bangladesh this has close ties to it’s neighboring Thai and Malaysian food. This is easy to make in the US because of the easy availability of canned coconut milk. The sweet tastemakes it a favourite among children.

Ingredients

1. Prawns 10-12 cleaned and deveined
2. Coconut milk - 1 can
3. Onion 1 medium sized
4. Ginger 1"
5. Green chilies 5-6
6. Bay leaf / tejpatta - 2
7. Cinnamon stick - 2"
8. Green cardamom - 2
9. Clove - 4,5
10. Turmeric powder
11. Sugar
12. Salt
13. Ghee
14. Oil

Procedure

1. Make a fine paste of onion, ginger and two green chilies.
2. Wash the prawns and pat them dry. Mix them with salt and turmeric powder and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the prawns till they are light golden in color. Remove and keep them aside.
4. In the same oil add bay leaf, whole cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. As soon as you get the fragrance of whole garam masala add little sugar followed by the paste you made before. The sugar will give the onion paste a nice brown color because of caramelization.
5. Fry the masala in low medium heat till it gets a nice golden brown color and the raw smell of onion and ginger is gone.
6. At this point add little turmeric powder to it.
7. Season it with salt and sugar.
8. Add a can of coconut milk and stir it. Check the sugar level at this point. The malaikari is generally on the sweeter side.
9. Cook the gravy till it thickens.
10. Add the fried prawns and continue cooking them till the sauce takes a creamy consistency.

Serve it with white rice or pulao.

Note: Don't overcook prawns. It makes them stiff.