Malai prawn curry is also known as chingri malai curry.
This shrimp recipe originates from Bengal-India.
The Bengali prawn curry is known for its rich creamy coconut gravy and the subtle but distinct flavours of aromatic spices used in this Indian prawn dish.
When you want to serve a prawn curry that is not too spicy for family and friends, this malai prawn curry would be an ideal dish.
The creaminess of this seafood dish will make you come back for extra servings.
flavours in malai prawn curry.
To make the Malai prawn curry you will first make the prawn gravy.
The shrimp curry is made in stages. each of these steps is concentrated on adding flavours in the most economical and effective way.
First, we make a paste of onion, ginger, garlic, and green chilli.
Then the spices, bay leaf, green cardamom, and cloves are sauteed.
When these ingredients are ready, the onion paste is cooked with turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, and red chilli powder with a dash of sugar.
Once you have this Malai curry paste ready, coconut milk is added with some water.
Once the prawn gravy is ready, the prawns are added and simmered for a few minutes.
The flavours of this Indian prawn curry dish are mild but exquisitely flavorful. Once you have this Malai prawn curry, you can’t but remember the rich and creamy taste of the gravy and the tender prawns)shrimp)cooked in it.
SERVE malai prawn curry with…
- Serve over a bed of fragrant Indian ghee rice, white rice, yellow rice or rice pilaf.
- Try it out with some roti paratha or no yeast garlic naan bread, even simple homemade bread or flatbreads will do.
- This creamy shrimp curry will be such a great dish with kiribath(Sri Lankan milk rice)for breakfast or even string hoppers.
- Serve with slices of ciabatta bread, all that gravy goodness soaked in a piece of bread.
FAQ: chingri malai prawn curry.
- Can I make the creamy prawn curry ahead of time?
- yes! you can make the shrimp curry 5-7 hours ahead of time.
- let it cool and refrigerate.
- 45 minutes before serving time, take it out of the fridge, and leave it to reach room temperature. warm over low fire and serve.
- Can I freeze the Malai shrimp curry?
- I would not recommend freezing the curry.
- Can I use frozen shrimp for this shrimp curry recipe?
- Yes, here’s my guide on how to defrost shrimp the correct way.
- How do I clean and devein shrimp to make this recipe?
- Here’s my guide on how to devein and clean shrimp.
You can cook this Indian prawn curry with the head and even the shell on.
- Here’s my guide on how to devein and clean shrimp.
Storage and heating: malai prawn curry.
Store in an air-tight container that you don’t mind getting stained or a glass bowl with a lid.
You can refrigerate and consume it within 2 days.
Once the shrimp curry has reached room temperature, you can warm it over the stovetop or use the microwave.
If using the microwave cover and heat for 2-3 minutes.
More shrimp curry recipe.
Prawn caldine curry(prawn in coconut milk).
Ingredients to cook malai shrimp/prawn curry.
To make the malai prawn curry recipe, there are three sets of ingredients.
- The first set is to season the shrimp.
- The second set of ingredients is an onion curry paste.
- The third set of ingredients is used to make the coconut curry gravy that the shrimp is cooked in.
- To marinate the shrimp
- Shrimp cleaned and deveined(I am using prawns that have their shell and head removed. you can cook with the shell and head intact as well).
- Turmeric powder
- Salt to season
- To make the onion paste
- onion chopped
- ginger piece
- cloves of garlic
- green chilli which you can substitute with any type of chillies or bell pepper.
- Water
- To make the malai prawn curry gravy.
- Bay leaf
- Green cardamoms
- Cloves
- Turmeric powder or paste
- Red chilli powder
- Sugar
- Salt
- Cumin powder
- Coriander powder
- Coconut milk
- Water
How to cook malai prawn curry.
As usual, we clean, devein and pat dry the shrimp(prawns) with a kitchen paper towel.
As mentioned earlier you can cook the shrimp curry with the shell on as well.
Place them in a bowl. add turmeric and salt and combine well.
Set aside for 10 minutes.
While the prawns marinate,
Add the onions, ginger, garlic, and green chilli into a spice blender.
Add water to make the grinding process easier.
Blend until you have a fine paste and set it aside.
Place a large frying pan over low medium heat.
Pour in oil, reduce heat to low, and add the prawns.
Spread them so they don’t crowd each other and saute the shrimp for just under 1 minute on each side.
Avoid overcooking the prawns as they are simmered in coconut milk as well so they need to be almost underdone at this point.
Once done, transfer to a bowl.
Do a quick rinse or wipe the frying pan you used and gently dry roast the bay leaf, cardamom, and cloves for 2-3 minutes.
Once the spices are dry roasted, add the onion paste into the pan.
Cook over low medium heat for 3-4 minutes while combining with the spices.
Add the spice powders, turmeric, red chilli powder, sugar, salt, cumin powder and coriander powder.
Add thick coconut milk with half a cup of water.
Mix in with the cooked spices to make the Malai curry gravy.
Let the gravy slow simmer over medium heat until thick, this would probably take about 8-10 minutes.
Taste and make necessary adjustments as per your need.
Once the gravy is ready, reduce heat and add the sauteed prawns. cook for only 3-5 minutes and then remove from stove.
Transfer to a bowl and serve with a bowl of rice and side dishes.
Malai prawn curry(chingri malai curry)
Creamy malai prawn curry is also known as chingri malai curry. The shrimp recipe originates from Bengal-India.
Ingredients
- To marinate the shrimp
- 500g of shrimp cleaned and deveined(I am using prawns that have their shell and head removed. you can cook with the shell and head intact as well).
- 1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric powder
- Salt to season
- To make the onion paste
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2″ ginger piece
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 large green chilli(use any type of chilli available to you, even bell pepper)
- 2 tablespoons of water
- To make the malai prawn curry gravy
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 green cardamoms
- 3 cloves
- 1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric powder or paste
- 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
- 2 teaspoon of coriander powder
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 1/2 a cup of water
Instructions
- Clean, devein and pat dry the shrimp(prawns) with a kitchen paper towel.
- Place them in a bowl. add turmeric(1/2 tsp), salt and combine well. set aside for 10 minutes.
- While the prawns marinate.
- Add the onions(1 large, chopped), ginger(2″ piece), garlic( 4 cloves), green chilli(1)into a spice blender.
- Add water(3 tbsp)to make the grinding process easier.
- Blend until you have a fine paste and set it aside.
- Place a large frying pan over low medium heat.
- Pour in oil(1 tbs), reduce heat to low, and add the prawns.
- Spread them so they don’t crowd each other and saute the shrimp for just under 1 minute on each side.
- Avoid overcooking the prawns as they are simmered in coconut milk as well so they need to be almost underdone at this point.
- Once done, transfer to a bowl.
- Do a quick rinse or wipe the frying pan you used and gently dry roast the bay leaf(1), cardamom(3), cloves(3)for 2-3 minutes.
- Once the spices are dry roasted, add the onion paste into the pan.
- Cook over low medium heat for 3-4 minutes while combining with the spices.
- Add turmeric(1/2 a tsp), red chilli powder(1/2 tsp), sugar(1 tsp), salt(1/4 tsp), cumin powder(1 tsp)and coriander powder(2 tsp).
- Add thick coconut milk(1 cup)with 1/2 a cup of water.
- Mix in with the cooked spices to make the Malai curry gravy.
Let the gravy slow simmer over medium heat until thick, this would probably take about 8-10 minutes. - Taste and make necessary adjustments as per your need.
- Once the gravy is ready, reduce heat and add the sauteed prawns. cook for only 3-5 minutes and then remove from stove.
Transfer to a bowl and serve with a bowl of rice and side dishes.
Nutrition Information
Yield 20 Serving Size 5Amount Per Serving Calories 76Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 58mgSodium 318mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 8g
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