CHINGRIR MALAIKARI

A Bengali delicacy that no Bengali die without tasting at least once in his entire life time. A name that      conjures up a magic untold, a gleam unexplained and a glee so evident. It sure titillates the taste-buds.

 And I personally feel that this dish should have a very global appeal and is bound to be accepted outside the Bengal borders too because of the ingredients of course. So I go straight to the point.

Ingredients: (It serves four)

• Prawns (4 if it is jumbo-size (with shell)and 8 if it is the white prawn variety that is shown in picture and is easily available)
• Onion (1 medium-sized chopped and another grated)
• Coconut milk (You can either use the ready-made variety and for better taste you can of course go the home-made way)
•  Ginger paste (1 table spoon)
• Garlic paste (1 and half table spoon)
• Green chilly (2 and if you really like it spicy (like I do) add 2 more)
• Red chilly powder
• Turmeric (1 table spoon)
• Salt 
• Sugar
• Dry red chilly (1)
• Bay leaf (1) 

Procedure:

• Marinate the prawns with turmeric and salt and fry them lightly in mustard oil (you may also use the vegetable oil variety but mustard oil adds in that Bengali flavor). Keep them aside.
• In the same tawa add one whole dry red chilly, one bay leaf and saute for some time and then after the chilly turn deep brown add the chopped and the grated onion. Wait till the onion is golden brown and then add ginger and garlic paste.
• After you can see oil separating out add the prawns and stir till the prawns are entirely coated with masala. Then add coconut milk and water to make the gravy.
• Add salt and sugar according to the demand of your taste-buds or your special someone's.
• And believe me it is done.

That is how my chingri malaikari looked. In Bengal it is usually done with shelled prawns but that variety was not available in my neighborhood the day I wanted to make the dish...:(