Bangladeshi Prawn Curry – Chingri Maach Recipe

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Bangladeshi prawn curry with tomatoes, mustard seeds, spices and desiccated coconut.

I made this recipe months ago, so long ago that I can barely remember when! I didn't publish it straight away, probably because I had other things to do. Then I lost track of the magazine I'd taken it from and was left with a plate of delicious prawns, some decent photographs and no idea where the recipe had come from.

Cooking magazines are a bit of an obsession of mine. Among my favourites are Jamie, the Italian edition of Jamie Oliver's magazine, delicious., Taste&More, created by a talented group of food bloggers I know, and BBC Good Food.

With so many magazines around, remembering the source of a particular recipe isn't always easy. Luckily, the missing issue couldn't have gone very far. I just needed to find the time to work my way through the pile of magazines I'd been keeping!

These spicy prawns were worth the wait. The recipe comes from Bangladesh, and since we love Asian cuisines at home, trying it was practically inevitable.

Bangladeshi Prawn Curry (Chingri Maach)

This Bangladeshi-inspired prawn curry combines mustard seeds, ginger, garlic and warming spices in a fragrant tomato sauce enriched with desiccated coconut. It's gently hot, full of flavour and quick enough to make for a weekday dinner.

Serve it with steamed basmati rice or naan bread to make the most of the sauce.

Recipe Details

  • Yield: 4 servings

  • Preparation time: 15 minutes

  • Cooking time: 20 minutes

  • Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons oil

  • 600 g large prawns, peeled with the tails left on

  • 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

  • 3 bay leaves

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 2.5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons chopped canned tomatoes

  • 200 ml boiling water

  • 25 g desiccated coconut

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1 teaspoon garam masala, optional

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or wok. Add the prawns and cook for about one minute, until they begin to turn pink. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

  2. If necessary, add a little more oil to the pan. Add the black mustard seeds, followed by the bay leaves.

  3. Add the chopped onion, garlic and grated ginger. Cook, stirring, until the onion is golden and the mixture is fragrant.

  4. Stir in the turmeric, chilli powder, crushed cumin seeds and crushed coriander seeds.

  5. Add the sugar, salt and chopped tomatoes, stirring to combine.

  6. Pour in the boiling water and add the desiccated coconut. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring well.

  7. Return the prawns to the pan and coat them with the sauce. Cook briefly, just until they are heated through and fully cooked. Avoid overcooking them, as prawns can quickly become tough.

  8. Sprinkle with garam masala, if using, and serve hot.

What to Serve with Bangladeshi Prawn Curry

Steamed basmati rice is an excellent accompaniment, soaking up the fragrant sauce without competing with its spices. Naan bread is another delicious option for scooping up every last bit.

Recipe Source

Adapted from delicious. magazine, April 2015.

This recipe is a lovely way to bring the flavours of Bangladesh to your table, with a balance of aromatic spices, a little heat and the subtle sweetness of coconut.

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