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Bangladeshi · Bengali

Chingri malai curry

Non-vegetarian

চিংড়ি মালাইকারি · chingri malaikari

Large prawns simmered in a mild, silky coconut-milk gravy scented with whole garam masala and a touch of ghee and sugar — a Bengali celebration dish.

Chingri malai curry is a Bangladeshi curry, ready in about 40 minutes and made with prawns / shrimp and coconut milk. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking
Chingri malai curry: prawns in creamy coconut-milk gravy with green chillies in a bowl
Photo: Prads2189 / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
416

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rub the prawns (opens in a new tab) with the turmeric (opens in a new tab) and half the salt. Heat the mustard oil (opens in a new tab) and fry them briefly on both sides until they just turn pink; lift out.

    Food safety: Wash hands and boards after handling raw shellfish.

  2. Step 2

    In the same oil, fry the bay leaves (opens in a new tab) and whole spices for a few seconds, then the onion (opens in a new tab) paste until it loses its raw smell and turns light golden.

    • 8 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the ginger, cumin (opens in a new tab) and chilli with a splash of water and fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk (opens in a new tab) with the green chillies, sugar (opens in a new tab) and remaining salt and simmer gently.

    • 6 min
    • medium-low heat

  4. Step 4

    Return the prawns (opens in a new tab) and simmer until just cooked through and the sauce coats them. Finish with the ghee (opens in a new tab).

    • 5 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Prawns are done when opaque throughout; overcooking makes them rubbery.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Bengal · Commonly attributedA dish of the Bengal region, eaten in both Bangladesh and West Bengal (India).Also popular in Bangladesh, India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Pan-fried, Simmered
Taste
creamy, mild, sweet, aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Without the optional extras: Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Prawns / shrimp · Coconut milk · Turmeric · Mustard oil · Bay leaves · Cardamom
Techniques
Pan-frying · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom ghee
  • Contains: Crustaceansfrom prawns / shrimp
  • Contains, can be adapted: Mustardfrom mustard oil

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

416 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 274 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 26%
  • Carbohydrate 8%
  • Fat 66%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy416 kcal152 kcal
Protein27.8 g10.1 g
Carbohydrate8.8 g3.2 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars1 g0.4 g
Fibre——
Fat32 g11.7 g
Saturated fat19.9 g7.3 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol201 mg73 mg
Sodium747 mg273 mg
Salt equivalent1.9 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
645 mg
Calcium
121 mg
Iron
4.8 mg
Magnesium
98 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
—
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: ghee.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Squeeze the prawn heads into the sauce — the juices are the best part.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling the coconut milk hard makes it split.

Serve with

  • Serve with plain steamed rice.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently without boiling.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 1

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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