Today was special.My parents were coming to our place the next day.I had told my favourite fish wallah to bring some fresh Bagda Chingris.He was to bring the live prawns in the evening.So, I had to leave office early to catch the live prawns.Returning home,the prawns were cleaned and left to soak in the extra moisture for half and hour and locked up in the refigerator.
Next day, even before my alarm rang,the door bell came to life.
Dad and mom had come home.It was a Friday.And it was rarely some work at the office.I returned back home around 6ish and prepared a Malaikari – the traditional way, for us. It is a bit more on the sweeter side, but fits our Bengali cuisine in the perfect way.Dad prepared the coconut milk in the most traditional way for this dish!
Ingredients:
- Prawns(Bagda Chingri): 450 gms.
- Coconut Milk:1 cup
- Turmeric Powder:
- 2 tbsp to coat the prawn pieces.
- 1 tbsp for the curry
- Coriander Powder: 1 tbsp
- Cumin Powder: 1.5 tbsp.
- Mustard Oil:
- 3 tbsp for frying the prawns
- 2 tbsp for the curry.
- Salt: To taste
- Sugar: 1 tbsp
Garam Masala:
- Green Cardamon:3-4
- Cinnamon Stick:One 1 inch stick.
Procedure:
Step 1: Fry the prawns
- Coat the prawns with turmeric powder and salt(as per taste) and keep aside for 15 mins.
- Heat 3 tbsp of mustard oil in a kadai.
- Wait for the oil to get hot. Turn the heat to low, then lightly fry the prawns, till they turn reddish brown.This should not take more than 3-4 mins.
Step 2: Preparing the curry:
- Heat 2tbsp of mustard oil in the kadai.
- Then add the garam masalas.
- Wait till the aroma of the garam masalas evolve.
- Then add the cumin powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
- Stir till the spice powders are homogeneously mixed with one another.
- Then add the fried prawns.
- Stir for 2 mins.
- Then add half a cup of warm water.Sprinkle sugar over the mixture.
- Continue to stir for another 5 mins under low heat. Then add the coconut milk.
- Let the mixture cook covered for a further 15 mins for the Malaikari to be ready. Note: Add water if required.
Serve with steamed rice.
