Prawn Biryani Recipe

Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the rinse runs clear to remove surface starch. Soak the rinsed rice in cold water for 20–30 minutes, then drain.

Bring 1600 ml water to a vigorous boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns. Add the drained rice and stir once to separate grains.

Cook rice until about 70–80% done (grains should be mostly cooked but still have a slight bite) — usually 6–8 minutes depending on rice. Drain the rice in a fine mesh sieve and set aside, removing whole spices where convenient.

Pat prawns dry with paper towel. In a bowl combine yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, 1 tsp salt and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Mix to a smooth marinade.

Add prawns to the marinade and toss to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15–30 minutes (do not over-marinate or prawns may begin to turn mushy).

Heat 4 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon ghee in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sauté, stirring often, until golden brown and softened, about 10–12 minutes. Remove about half of the onions to a bowl for layering later (reserve as fried onions).

To the remaining onions in the pan add slit green chilies and 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste. Cook 1–2 minutes until raw aroma dissipates.

Add chopped tomato, coriander powder, cumin powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder and 1 tsp salt. Cook until tomatoes break down and oil separates slightly from the masala, about 6–8 minutes.

Stir in chopped cilantro and chopped mint, cook 1 minute, then reduce heat to low. Add marinated prawns and spread them in a single layer. Cook the prawns just until they change color and are nearly cooked through, about 3–4 minutes (they will finish cooking during dum). Remove pan from heat.

Soak saffron threads in 3 tablespoons warm milk for 5 minutes to release color and aroma.

On top of the prawn layer, evenly spread half of the par-cooked basmati rice. Sprinkle half of the fried onions, half of the chopped cilantro and mint, a little lemon juice (about 1/2 tsp) and half of the saffron milk.

Add the remaining rice to form the final layer. Sprinkle the remaining fried onions, remaining cilantro and mint, the remaining saffron milk, remaining lemon juice (1/2 tsp) and drizzle 1 tablespoon ghee over the top.

Seal the pan for dum (steam). If your pan has a tight-fitting lid, place it on and wrap the lid edge with a clean kitchen towel to trap steam, or seal with aluminum foil then cover with the lid. If using a shallow pan, place a weight on the lid to ensure a tight seal.

Place the sealed pan over the lowest heat possible. Cook on very low heat for 12–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and rice to finish cooking with gentle steam (you can place the pan on a flat tawa/griddle and heat the tawa to reduce direct heat on the pot). If you prefer, preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) and bake the sealed pan for 15 minutes instead.

After 12–15 minutes, turn off heat and let the pot rest (keep sealed) for another 5–10 minutes. This helps the steam settle.

Carefully remove the lid, gently fluff the rice from the edges downward with a fork or spatula to avoid breaking grains, and mix lightly so prawns distribute through the rice. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve hot, garnished with extra fried onions, a few mint leaves and lemon wedges on the side.