Prawn Malaikari

Though a derivation of another culture’s recipe, the Prawn Malai Curry or more belovedly, Chingri Malaikari, is the one-stop solution for any Bengali household to amp up their dinner menu. A delicacy at its finest, the prawn dish has been hailed as one of the most popular fusion foods to be produced from Indian culinary annals. This cherished recipe is generally used for all the variants of edible crustaceans like shrimps, lobsters, or sometimes, even crabs.

The history of the dish dates back to the Chandra Empire (10th and 11th centuries). The Chandra dynasty proudly ruled over regions of southeastern Bengal and the then-Arakan (Myanmar). As a result of this, they also ruled over port cities linking the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia. The Chittagong port was used by Malay (of Malaysian descent) trade and spice merchants. Their cultural and culinary influence became so well known that locals began picking up tips and tricks of their cooking methods to enhance the flavours of their staple dishes. The ancient recipe, approximately 3,000 years old, was one of the first instances in which an Indian non-vegetarian dish infused coconut into its curry paste. The mix of rich Indian spices with dense coconut milk provided a delicious mouthfeel of thick creaminess contrasted with zesty spices.

Chingri Malaikari also stands as a controversy-stirrer among the contentious culinary rivals in West and East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh). As history goes, East Bengal (consisting of parts of present-day Bangladesh) and West Bengal (consisting of the Indian state lying above the Bay of Bengal and parts of Tripura) have always had a one-upmanship regarding the supremacy of Chingri Malaikari and Bhapa Ilish (Hilsa steamed with mustard paste). The east, consisting mainly of the Bangaal community, has always failed Padma’r Ilish (Hilsa from the Padma river) as the numero uno of non-vegetarian delights. While the west, comprising the Ghoti community, has been staunchly celebratory of Chingri Malaikari.

Both popular variants of prawns, Golda and Bagda, can be used when making this dish. While Golda is prevalent in the freshwaters of Bangladesh, it is unique in its structure of a large head with a medium-sized body. The generous amounts of tomalley (an orange liquid that’s often considered the best bit of a prawn) add creaminess and umami to the dish, making it the more popular version as compared to Bagda, which are essentially average-sized prawns.