Chingri Macher Malai curry and the Perfect wine pairing

It resides right up there in the pantheon of Bengali dishes. Secret recipe passed down from generation to generation. The signature dish of an expert in Bengali cooking !  Not to be cooked on any ordinary day with dal and bhat - but saved for special occasions - like Jamaishoshti (a "son-in-law"s day celebrated by Bongs akin to Father's Day or Mother's day !) or when relatives were being invited for a feast.


I am very fortunate to grow up in a family where both my grandmothers, several of my aunts and last but never the least - my mother - were and are legendary practitioners of the culinary arts !! Sorry if this sounds prosaic - but that's what happens to a typical Bengali gastronome when we speak of good food. Bengali food. And I remember that in times past, this one dish used to take a lot of time to prepare. Lot of delicate calibration and effort and control of heat and so on. And when done - nirvana when consumed with fragrant, steaming white rice.


I think a couple of things decide which way this dish will go - to the spacious corners of your tummy or the Glad Bags under the kitchen sink ! The texture and thickness of the gravy, the extent of spiciness (jhal) that you may want and the condition of the prawns. I really like the gravy to be plenty and yet thick, sweet and yet with a tang of spice in it. And the prawns need to be just perfect - not overcooked. Most important - there should be one unique flavor wherever you dip your spoon !


Back to the present. So we have about 30 mins to get this ready and our food sources are the Indian stores and local HEB, Kroger or WalMart. Here is something that worked out well and was surprisingly easy to prepare. Wifey added the master touch at the end (its her secret and she agreed to share !)  - and it was fantastic when paired with Basmati rice and washed down with  a good wine.

What you need -

1. 1 lb prawns (the 16-20 /lb variety). Take the ones that are deveined but have the head on. Do not refreeze prawns. And please - no cooked prawns !
2. Coconut Milk - 14 oz can - I like the Goya brand a lot.
3. Red onion - 1 large.
4. Ground coconut - 1/2 cup.
5. Ground Cinnamon - 1 TSP. We use the Costco variety.
6.  Good quality Ghee (we like the  Bengali Ghee that you find in Bangla Bazaars) - 1-2 TSP.
7. Other spices - Haldi, ginger paste - all 1 TSP.
8. 3-4 green chillies.
9. Garam Masala - 1 TBSP. Go for a  good brand of Garam Masala
10.  Bay Leaves-2.
11. Red Chili Powder - 1 TSP or more if you want it more spicy.
12.  A much better alternative to the store Garam Masala- A little bit of Cardamon, Cinnamon sticks and cloves. Roast and grind to form your own version of Garam Masala.

Onto the Cooking process -

• Marinating the Prawns - use streaming cold water for 5 mins to defrost them. Don't try to remove the ice by hand as the prawns will crack. Remove the shell covering the body and I prefer to retain the head - it adds more flavor. Else you can remove the head as well. Important - use a paper towel to pat dry them. Add 1/2 tsp of Haldi to about 1 lb of prawns,add about 1/2 tsp of salt,  mix well (use the fingers !!)  and leave them for 10-15 mins.
• Frying the Prawns - 2-3 TBSP of oil in non-stick deep skillet.. Don't go beyond 2-3 mins on medium heat. The color will turn to an opaque white. Remove them as the pink tinge appears. Don't worry - they WILL get cooked eventually if not already done.Retain any remaining oil in the pan.
• Preparing the Curry -  Heat about 2 TBSP of canola or vegetable oil  in the same skillet. Add 2 medium sized bay leaves, 1 TBSP of ground ginger and 1 ground red onion and mix well on medium heat until the onions lose their color. Add about 1/2 TSP of salt and 1 TSP of red chili powder to the skillet  and mix well with the onions. Now add about 1/2-3/4 cup of water and the Coconut milk and mix well until the gravy comes to boil. Add the shrimp, cover and cook for 6 mins on low to medium heat,. The Steam will help soften the shrimp and will also cook them optimally. Remove the cover 1-2 times and run your spatula through the gravy to mix it well. And do dip a spoon in and taste the gravy. If you want sweet, this is a good time to add about 1-2 TSP sugar
• Finishing Touch -  Without removing from the flame, open the cover. Add 1/2 -3/4 cup of ground coconut and mix well. Add 1 TSP of the garam masala - preferably the home prepared version. Add 2 TSP of ghee. I like to add about 3 chillies-split down the middle -  at this time which gives a nice tang to the dish. Add 1-2 TSP of cinnamon powder - this gives an awesome flavor to the dish. Mix it all well in the skillset one last time - and we are ready !!

 A word about the Wine pairing - try the white Moscato or a Good Riesling.  Barefoot has a White Moscato which is sweet and just pitch perfect for this dish.