Mini's Gourmet Special Prawn Biryani

Biryani is a deliciously rich rice dish mixed with meat or vegetables. Although there are so many varieties of biryani, mutton and chicken biryani are famous for special occasions. But my personal favourite is prawn biryani. Whenever my family asks for prawn biryani, I use this special recipe.

The key point for making amazing biriyani is using fresh prawn, premium long basmati rice, and good ghee.

Ingredients

1cup=250 ml

Prawn masala

Cleaned* and washed Prawn, 500 g

Salt, 1 tbs

Juice of one lemon

Vegetable oil, 2 tbs

Green chili, 6 nos.

Ginger and garlic minced, 1 tbs each

Roma tomato (finely chopped), 3 nos. or 250 g

Turmeric powder, 1 tsp

Chili powder, 1 tsp

Coriander powder, 1 ½ tbs

Cumin powder, ½ tsp

Garam masala, 1 tsp

Fennel powder, ½ tsp

Yoghurt, 3 tbs

Salt, 1 tsp

Hot water, ½ cup

Coriander leaves (finely chopped), 4 tbs

Mint leaves (finely chopped), 4 tbs

Garnish

Vegetable oil, for frying 

Finely sliced onion, 400 g

Ghee, 6 tbs

Cashews, 50 g

Raisins, 50 g

For rice

Basmati rice, 3 glasses or 550 g

Onion (finely chopped), 1 small

Fennel seeds, ½ tsp

Cinnamon (1 inch-piece), 2 nos.

Cloves, 5 pieces

Star anise, ¼ seed or 2 petals

Cardamom, 4 pods

Hot water, 4 ½ glasses

Salt, 2 tsp or to your taste

Saffron, a pinch

Hot milk, 2 tbs

Pineapple essence, 4 drops

Ghee for baking, 3tbs

Notes:

*Remove skin, tail, head, and de-vein.

Preparation

• Wash and soak the rice for one hour.
• Soak the saffron in hot milk.
• Wash prawns with lemon juice and one tablespoon salt in water. Rinse with plain water 3-4 times and set aside.
• Heat oil in an iron pan and fry the 400 g of onion (in 1 or 2 portions) until golden brown, then transfer to a bowl.
• Heat 3 tbs ghee in a wide saucepan and fry the cashews and raisins separately over medium flame and set aside.(If you dont have frid cashews  and Raisins)I

• To this ghee, add fennel seeds, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and sauté for few seconds.
• Add finely chopped onion and sauté until golden.
• Add rice and sauté for two minutes over medium flame.
• Add hot water and mix. Bring to boil.
• Once it boils, add salt and close the pan.
• Cook over medium low flame until water fully evaporates. The rice should not break or overcook. Gently mix once, for even cooking.
• Remove from flame and set aside without the lid to avoid further cooking.
• Heat 2 tbs oil in a thick bottomed pan and add ginger, garlic, green chili, and sauté for one minute over low flame or until aromatic.
• Add tomato and sauté for two to three minutes over medium flame.
• Add spices and sauté for one minute. Mix in yoghurt. 
• Add salt and mix well.
• Add half part of fried onion and sauté for one minute.
• Add prawn and sauté for two minutes.
• Add hot water and stir well, then cook for ten minutes over medium low flame.
• Stir in between to prevent prawns from sticking to the bottom.
• Add one tablespoon of coriander and mint leaves each, and mix.
• Check salt.
• Slowly add the rice to the prawn masala. 
• Close the lid and cook the rice with prawns until the gravy completely coats the fish and rice absorbs the flavour. This imparts a special taste to the biryani.
• Remove from heat and mix rice with masala, gently.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of ghee in a wide thick pan.
• Add half part of rice with masala and flatten with a spoon.
• Sprinkle a little coriander and mint leaves, cashews, raisins and fried onion.
• Sprinkle 2 drops of pineapple essence and half part of saffron milk.
• Add remaining rice and repeat the process.
• Close the pan tightly and bake for ten minutes over very low flame.

Your biryani is ready. Enjoy with salad, pappad and pickle.

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