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Chingri Malai Curry is a creamy Bengali prawn dish simmered in coconut milk with whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Its signature richness comes from the balance of toasted aromatics and coconut, making it a refined yet approachable seafood curry.
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For the best Chingri Macher Malaikari, use prawns with their shells on. Begin by carefully washing the prawns and removing the veins from each one.
Next, gently rub the prawns with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp turmeric powder, then let them sit for 15 minutes.
Blend onions and tomatoes into smooth pastes.
Heat oil in a large pot.
Fry the prawns, one at a time, in the oil over medium heat, keeping their shells intact, until they turn a lovely pink color.
Remove the prawns from the oil and set aside.
Now, add half of the ghee to the remaining oil in the pot.
Infuse the ghee-oil mixture with the aromatic spices: cinnamon, dried red chili, green cardamom, black cardamom, clove, and bay leaf.
Introduce the onion paste to the mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until it's properly cooked and has turned a pinkish-brown color.
Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
Then, stir in the ginger and garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.
Now, add turmeric powder, sugar, salt, red chili powder, cumin powder, and half of the garam masala powder to the mixture.
Cook everything on low heat for 3-4 minutes, until the oil separates. If needed, add a teaspoon of water during this process.
Pour in the coconut milk and mix well.
Finally, add 2 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
Now, let the gravy simmer. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 5-6 minutes, or until the gravy thickens nicely.
Stir in the remaining garam masala and ghee, ensuring everything is well combined.
Finally, let the Chingri Macher Malaikari rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Refrigerate curry (without prawns) up to 3 days; store cooked prawns separately. Reheat gently and add fresh prawns or fold in chilled ones to preserve texture.
Yes. Medium-sized shrimp work well and cook faster (2–3 minutes instead of 4–5). Reduce total simmering time to avoid overcooking.
Green cardamom adds floral, citrus notes; black cardamom brings deeper, smoky warmth. Both are essential to authentic Bengali flavor.
Yes. Prepare the spice base and onion-tomato gravy up to 1 day ahead. Add prawns and coconut milk just before serving to prevent overcooking.
They curl tightly and turn opaque throughout (3–5 minutes for jumbo). Overcooked prawns become rubbery; remove from heat as soon as they're firm.
Coconut milk defines the dish's character. Heavy cream makes it richer but loses the subtle coconut sweetness and authenticity.
