PRAWN MALAI CURRY/PRAWN MALAI MASALA CURRY

PRAWN MALAI CURRY OR PRAWN MALAI MASALA CURRY also known as chingri malai curry is a popular Bengali dish made from prawns and coconut milk and flavoured with some Indian spices. This recipe is also popular in Odisha and served during wedding and for guests in parties.

If you are a seafood lover, PRAWN MALAI CURRY is a delicious dish, which you can make easily at home with simple ingredients available at your pantry. This creamy delicious dish is so easy to prepare.

The word “malai” means cream, but the creaminess of this curry comes from coconut milk. Coconut milk is easily available in market but homemade coconut milk is the best for this recipe.you can make coconut milk from fresh grated coconut.

In PRAWN MALAI CURRY, the size of prawn plays a key role. Best malai curry requires mid sized freshwater prawns. Beside coconut milk, I have used kaju and khashkhash paste, curd and cream with other basic masalas that makes the curry tasty and rich.

PRAWN MALAI CURRY can be served with parathas, roti, naan or any Indian bread.It goes well with steamed rice and jeera rice.

Ingredients for prawn malai curry:

For marination of prawn:

1. Prawn- 500 grams

2. Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

3. Salt – 1 tsp

4. Red chili powder – 1 tsp

5. Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

For making gravy:

1. Coconut milk – 1 ½ cups

2. posta or poppy seeds -2 tsp

3. Kaju or cashew – 8 to 10

4. Onion-1(paste)

5. Ginger-garlic paste-2 tsp

6. Tomatoes(paste)- ½ cup

7. Curd- ½ cup

8. Cream-2 tbsp

9. Turmeric powder-1 tsp

10. Cumin powder – 1 tsp

11. Red chili powder-1 tsp

12. Kashmiri red chili powder- 1 tsp

13. Green chilies- 3 to 4

14. Salt

15. Mustard oil to fry prawn

16. Ghee or butter-2 tbsp

PREPARATIONs FOR PRAWN MALAI CURRY:

1. Devin the prawn properly with heads are intact. I am leaving the shell on, but you may peel them off if you like.

2. Wash the prawns properly. Marinate the prawns with salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and lemon juice. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

3. Dry roast poppy seeds for a while. Then soak cashew and roasted poppy seeds in lukewarm water for 10 to 20 minutes. Then make a paste out of it by adding curd.

4. Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil in a pan and fry prawn in it for 2 minutes or until the prawn change its colour from both sides.

5. Transfer the fried prawn to a plate and keep aside.

6. Take another pan or kadhai and heat two tbsp butter or ghee along with two tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds, clove, cinnamon and saute for a while. Now add onion paste and saute until it changes to light brown in colour.

7. Now add ginger-garlic paste and fry it until the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes away. Add tomato paste and all dry masalas like turmeric powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala.

8. Fry all masalas until it leaves oil from surface of the kadhai or pan. Now add kaju, poppy seeds and curd paste and fry again for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 tbsp cream and green chilies and fry for a while.

9. Add coconut milk and mix well. Add ½ tsp sugar and mix well. Add some water, as you require the consistency of gravy. Add fried prawns and cover the pan with a lid. Let it simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.

10. After 12 minutes check the consistency of gravy and transfer it to a serving bowl. Garnish with cream and chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice or any Indian bread.

How to make prawn malai curry with step- by- step photo:

STEP-1: Devein the prawns properly with heads are intact. Clean the prawns and marinate it with salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and lemon juice.

STEP-2: Mix well and Keep aside for 15 minutes.

STEP-3: Roast poppy seeds in a pan.

STEP-4: Soak cashew and roasted poppy seeds in lukewarm water for 10 to 20 minutes.

STEP-5: Make a paste out of it by adding curd.

STEP-6: Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil in a pan and add marinated prawns in it.

STEP-7: Fry the prawns for 2 minutes or until the prawn change its colour from both sides.

STEP-8: Transfer it to a plate.

STEP-9: In the same pan, heat butter or ghee with 2 tbsp oil.

STEP-10: Add cumin seeds, clove, cinnamon and saute for a while. Now add onion paste and saute until it changes to light brown in colour.

STEP-11: Now add ginger-garlic paste and fry it until the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes away.

STEP-12: Add all dry masalas like turmeric powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well.