PRAWN BIRYANI

PRAWN BIRYANI

There are several version's to prawn biryani recipe. The original is where the prawn's are first marinated and later deep fried in oil. But I give my own twist's to every deeply oil fried recipes. And this is my version of prawn biryani, less oily and yet very tasty. Try this one. Since I don't write recipes without trying them out first.

Ingredients:
1. Prawn - shelled and cleaned 1cup
2. Basmati Rice - 1 cup.
3. Onion big - 2 finely sliced into rounds
4. Green Chilli - 2 (slit)
5. Mint Leaves - 2T. (finely chopped)
6. Coriander Leaves - 3T (finely chopped)
7. cloves - 2
8. cardamom - 1
9. Bay Leaves - 1
10. Curry Leaves - 5
11. Casuanuts - 10
12. Ginger and Garlic paste - 1T.
13. Tomato - 1 small
14. Saffron powder - 1/4t., Chilli powder- 1/2T., Coriander powder- 1t., garam masala powder - 1/4t. Salt - 1tsp.
15. Curd 1T.
Preparation:
1. Wash and soak the Basmati Rice for half an hour or 45 minutes. Here make sure you wash it twice, remove the starch and later add the 2 cups of water which it requires for cooking. It makes things easy, while adding. Small tips.
2. In a non - stick pan, add 1T. of sunflower oil and first fry one finely sliced onion till deep brown in colour.
3. Fry the casuanuts and later break them.
4. Marinate the shelled prawn in a pinch of salt, garam masala, red chilli powder and saffron powder. Leave it aside for half an hour. Now add the prawns to the non - stick pan and a Tablespoon of sunflower oil. Saute it till it is fried well, fully cooked. Remove from stove. 
5. Saute the curry leaves also and set it aside. If u require scramble an egg and set it aside. This is optional.
6.Cook the soaked basmati rice till 90% done and strain it and leave it aside.
7. In a  pan, add oil, after 2 mins. add the whole spices, next one finely sliced onion and fry till light brown. (Never fully cooked in any biryani masala). Now add the chopped coriander and mint leaves. Later add the ginger and garlic paste and fry well for 3 mins. Dont burn it. Now add the tomatoes and saute for just 1 minute. Tomatoes must be wholesome never fully fried in a dumb biryani. Now add all the masala powders and saute well for 1 min. Add 1T. of curd and 1t. of lime juice. Stir for just a second and remove from stove.
8. In a raised pan first add the masala  a Tablespoon. Spread it. Next layer add a little of the fried onion, curry leaves, scrambled egg, casuanuts and fried prawn, Next layer spread the cooked basmati rice. Now again spread the gravy on the rice, followed by fried onions etc, then followed by basmati rice.
9. For the amount of rice prescribed it would amount to just 3 spreads. Finally add kesari colour to 1ts. of milk and pour it in the center. Cover with a lid and seal the corners with the paste of maida flour. Leave it aside for half an hour. Remove and serve, adding just a tsp. of ghee to the rice. Mughal Biryani is ready.
10. I have learn't in a hard way, exceeding the amount of masala powder given it will not taste like Mughal biryani. Or even if more fried onion's are added. Or even if the tomatoes are cooked to gravy. Fine preception is required to get the perfect Mughal Biryani. More than a tsp. of ghee will make it so bland. However this is my version.

Sophia Devasahayam