Bengal's Chingri Malai Curry Ranked Among World's Best Seafood Dishes

Indian cuisine is celebrated for its rich and flavourful dishes that have enraptured food enthusiasts worldwide. Its diversity and alluring aromas have gained global acclaim and have been embraced by food lovers from all corners of the world. In recent years, numerous dishes and restaurants from India have gained international fame. One such platform is TasteAtlas, a globally recognised food and travel guide platform that consistently curates and shares lists of various cuisines based on extensive food surveys, highlighting the diverse and mouthwatering culinary offerings from around the globe. The famed dish from Bengal, Chingri Malai Curry, has secured the 31st position on Taste Atlas' 50 Best Seafood Dishes for 2024. This delectable dish, widely available in restaurants throughout Kolkata, delights the senses with its creamy coconut milk base, piquant mustard paste, and tender, flavourful prawns.A Special Prawn CurryChingri Malai Curry is a delectable Bengali prawn dish that features succulent giant tiger prawns cooked in a rich and creamy coconut-milk curry, complemented by the distinctive flavour of Bengal's famous mustard paste. According to some accounts, this culinary delight was introduced to the Bengal shores by Malaysian visitors. While highlighting the Indian delicacy on their website, the travel and food guide said - “It's made with a base of coconut milk and prawns that are seasoned with garam masala spices and fried in ghee or mustard oil with onions, hot chilli peppers, garlic-ginger paste, and turmeric. If desired, red chilli powder, cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom can be added to the curry in order to further enrich the flavours. The dish is cooked until the gravy becomes thick and creamy.”The Top Dishes On The ListThe TasteAtlas list includes 100 seafood dishes from around the world. Camarones enchipotlados, a traditional Mexican dish from Central Mexico, claimed the top spot for its rich and smoky flavours. In second place is the delightful Japanese kaisendon, and in third place is the flavourful Indonesian pempek. The dish securing the fourth position is Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato, a Portuguese dish named after the 19th-century poet Raimundo António de Bulhão Pato. It's a simple dish that combines clams with a flavourful sauce made of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and fresh cilantro. The fifth position was claimed by Tekkadon, a simple Japanese dish consisting of steamed, vinegar-flavoured rice topped with pieces of sashimi-style raw tuna. Other mouthwatering delicacies on the list include nigiri, lobster roll, and gambas al ajillo, each celebrated for their unique culinary heritage and exquisite deliciousness.India On TasteAtlasIn March 2024, South Indian filter coffee, a beloved speciality of the region, had claimed a top spot on the ‘Top 38 Coffees in the World’ list by TasteAtlas. The beverage, locally known as "kaapi," has a long history dating back to the 17th century. A Sufi saint named Baba Budan brought it to the region, smuggled seven coffee beans from Yemen and then cultivated them in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. Vada Pav, Mumbai's famed desi sandwich featuring a spicy potato patty encased in a soft bun, also earned its place among the best sandwiches in the world. TasteAtlas recognised Vada Pav's culinary excellence by featuring it at the 18th position alongside other dishes like shawarma, Reuben, and lobster rolls. Read more about it here.Featured Eateries Around IndiaIn 2023, the cuisine guide had featured several eateries in India in their list of iconic restaurants. Kochi's Paragon restaurant was ranked 11th among the world's 150 most legendary eateries. And their biryani was declared an iconic dish. The list, which was published on June 23, 2023, comprised restaurants from all over the world that have weathered the test of time, emphasising traditional and high-quality cuisine. "The emphasis is on real food with robust flavours, often using time-honoured recipes passed down through generations," the judges stated. Paragon, which opened in 1939, was described as a symbol of the region's rich gastronomic history, renowned for serving excellent Malabar food.Several other restaurants from India were also named in the list, including Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba in Murthal, Peter Cat in Kolkata, Mavali Tiffin Rooms in Bangalore, Karim's in Delhi, and Ram Ashraya in Mumbai. They were ranked 17th, 23rd, 39th, 87th, and 112th, respectively. India's culinary scene has been making quite an impact in the global arena. In January 2023, award-winning digital media brand Eater, which publishes an annual list of the world's best culinary destinations, featured Kolkata - the only Indian city in the list of the eleven best food destinations in the world for 2023. Read more about it here.