Prawn Biryani

This mildly spiced beauty captured my heart. Not much of a Prawn eater plus the fact that the hand starts itching the moment I clean lobsters or prawns is a big turn off for me. But the flavor of mild spices definitely attracts you towards it. Prawn lovers are definitely gonna gorge on this. My MIL gave me this recipe which she found on a local Kannada Cookery show called Oggarane  Dabbi.

Ingredients :

Prawns : 15-20
Oil : To deep fry/ to shallow fry
Ghee+Oil : 1 tsp +1 tsp
Basmati Rice : 1 cup (Soak for half an hour)
Onion : 1
Tomato : 1
Ginger : 1 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
Garlic : 1 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
Green Chilli : 3-4
Mint Leaves : 1 bunch/ 1 cup
Coriander Leaves : 1/2 cup
Salt according to Taste


Spices :
Bay Leaf : 1
Cinnamon : 2 (1" pieces)
Cloves : 2-3
Green Cardamom : 2
Fennel Seeds : 1 tsp
Star Anise : 2

Spice Powders :
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Shaan Biryani Masala : 1 tsp

Marination for Prawns :
Lemon Juice : 1 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 ts
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Salt according to Taste



Procedure:

1. Add oil in a pan to fry the marinated prawns. I just shallow fry the prawns till they turn slightly white.  (Marinate the prawns for 4-5 hours)

2. In a cooker/tawa add ghee and oil. Put in the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds and star anise.

3. Once the spices start giving out aroma of spices add finely chopped onions and once they turn slightly pink add chopped tomato.
4. Make a paste out of ginger, garlic and green chilli and add the same after the tomatoes turn mushy.
5. Now add the coriander leaves and mint leaves
6. Add chilli powder, biryani powder, coriander powder and once the spice powders are slightly (be careful not to burn the spice powders ) add fried prawns.
7. Now add the soaked Basmati rice and the required amount of water along with salt.
8. If using the cooker cook for 1 whistle and simmer the flame for 5 min/ if using tawa keep checking the rice to see if its cooked.
9. Serve it hot.