Chingri Malaikari

Ingredients :
Prawns (big/medium size) : 500gm
(deveined and tails on)
Onions: 2(medium)
Ginger-garlic paste : 2 tblsp (1/2 inch ginger
+ 2 small cloves of garlic)
Green chilli: 1 (slitted)
Coconut milk: 2/3 cup
Turmeric powder: 2 tsp
(1 tsp. for marinating prawns and 1tsp in gravy)
Red chilli powder: 2 tsp (as per taste)
Sugar: 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil: 2 tbsp
Whole spices:
Bay leaves: 2-3
Cardamoms: 4
Cinnamon: 2(1 inch stick)
Cloves: 5-6
Procedure:
Cleaning & marinating the prawns: Remove the hard shell, do not remove the tail, leave it on. To de-vein the prawns, slit the back a little and take out the black thread. For shrimps with heads, carefully cut only the front portion, the eyes etc., do not remove the entire head. After that, deviant as above. Wash thoroughly. Marinate them with 1 tsp. turmeric powder and 1 tsp. salt for at least 1/2 an hour or more.

Preparation:
Grind onion, ginger and garlic into fine paste separately.
Frying the prawn: Heat enough oil in a pan, to fry the prawns. Do not deep-fry them. Fry them lightly in medium flame for 2-3 minutes from both sides until they change their colour to light golden. If you over-fry the prawns, they tend to harden.

Cooking:
In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp. oil, temper with all whole spices one by one, once cloves started to splutter, add onion paste. Sauté till the onion paste turns a little brown; add sugar and sauté a little more. Then add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2 more minutes.
Add turmeric and red chilli powder. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, when oil separates, add coconut milk. Add slit green chilli. When the gravy starts to boil, add fried prawns and season with salt. Can add a little water if needed.
Wait until you have your desired consistency of gravy and remove from fire. Enjoy hot with steamed rice or light Pulao.