Golda chingri malaikari with anaras jhal chutney
Golda chingri malaikari is an aromatic prawn curry, flavoured with sweet spice, chillies and coconut. Served with rice and a fiery pineapple chutney.
Ingredients
For the golda chingri malaikari
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp salt
- 1kg/2lb 4oz large raw prawns, rinsed, peeled and heads left on
- 2 onions
- 2.5cm/1in piece cassia bark
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 2 tsp mild chilli powder
- 100ml/3½fl oz warm water
- 2 x 400ml tins thick coconut milk
- 3 green chillies
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- freshly cooked basmati rice, to serve
For the anaras jhal chutney
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 dried red chillies, broken in half
- 2 Indian bay leaves (tej patta)
- 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated or cut into thin slivers
- 1 sweet pineapple, skin cut off and flesh cut into small cubes with any juice reserved
- 2 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra if needed
- 1 tsp rock salt, plus extra if needed
Method
To make the golda chingri malaikari, mix together half of the turmeric and salt in a small bowl. Place the prawns in a large bowl and rub the turmeric mixture all over the prawns. Set aside. Put the onions in a food processor or blender and blitz to a paste. Set aside.
Dry roast the cassia bark, cardamom and cloves in a heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. As soon as the tips of the cloves start to swell and become a lighter shade of brown, immediately tip the spices onto a plate to cool. When the spices are cool, grind in a spice grinder. For this recipe, you will only need 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture but you can store any extra in a jar or in a small pouch of foil for about 6 weeks and use in any recipes that call for garam masala.
Heat the ghee and oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Before adding each prawn to the pan, give it a gentle shake to get rid of any excess liquid, then fry the prawns in the pan one at a time. Do not overcook the prawns – cook them quickly on both sides until they just turn opaque. Using a slotted spoon, transfer each cooked prawn to a plate.
Add the onion paste to the same frying pan and cook for 10 minutes. Add the bay leaves, the ginger and garlic pastes, chilli powder and the remaining turmeric and salt. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the raw smell of the ginger and garlic has gone. Add the warm water and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the oil comes to the surface, stirring to prevent the paste from sticking to the base of the pan.
Add the coconut milk and green chillies, bring back to the boil, then simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes until thickened. Add the prawns, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, sprinkle in the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the garam masala spice mixture and mix well.
To make the chutney, heat the oil in a deep saucepan over a medium–high heat. Add the chillies, followed by the bay leaves and ginger, and stir for a few seconds until the ginger starts to darken (but do not allow it to brown). Add the pineapple chunks, any reserved juice, sugar and salt and stir for a few minutes, then add 350ml/12fl oz water. Let the mixture come to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chutney thickens and looks glossy. Taste and add more salt or sugar if required. This chutney can be served warm or at room temperature and can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for 2–3 days.
Serve the prawn curry with the rice and chutney on the side.