See I know many of you make chicken biryani at home. Almost every Sunday in Indian kitchens you will find chicken biryani cooking. But have you ever tried prawn biryani? Probably not. And that is okay because prawns feel a little tricky.
People think prawns need special care. Or they think prawn biryani is too costly to make at home. But let me tell you honestly. Prawn biryani is actually easier than chicken biryani. Prawns cook very fast. In the time you make chicken soft, prawns will be done five times over.
So today I am sharing three prawn biryani recipes with you. One is a simple prawn biryani recipe for daily cooking. Second is a rich prawn biryani Hyderabadi recipe for when guests come home. Third is a prawn biryani recipe with coconut milk for a soft South Indian taste. You pick whatever suits your kitchen and your mood.
What Are Prawns?
Prawns are sea food. They look like small pink things when cooked. Raw they are grey. They have a black line on back. You must remove that line. It is not good to eat. Many people wash prawns ten times. Do not do that. Wash two times only. Then wipe with a cloth. Too much water makes biryani wet.
Prawns have one problem. If you cook them too much they become rubber. Like chewing gum. Not nice. So when I give you timing below please follow. Do not think more cooking means more taste. No. With prawns less cooking is better.
Read More: Easy Masala Rice Recipe Indian Style | Quick 15 Min Home Cook
Ingredients You Will Need
I am writing once so you dont have to read same thing again and again.
For prawns:
- prawns 500 grams (medium size, not small not big)
- turmeric half spoon
- red chilli powder one spoon
- salt as you like
- lemon juice one spoon
For rice:
- basmati rice 2 cups (soak in water for 30 minutes before cooking)
- bay leaf 1
- cloves 3 or 4
- cardamom 3
- cinnamon small piece
- water 4 cups
- salt one spoon
For masala base (common):
- onion 2 large (slice thin)
- tomato 2 medium (chopped small)
- ginger garlic paste one and half spoon
- green chilli 2 (cut in middle)
- curd half cup
- mint leaves half cup
- coriander leaves half cup
- salt and red chilli powder as needed
Keep everything ready before you start. Because once cooking starts you cannot stop.
Recipe One Simple Prawn Biryani Recipe
This simple prawn biryani recipe is for when you are tired but want good food. Or for everyday lunch. No heavy masala. No long process.
First clean prawns
Take 500 grams prawns. Remove skin if not removed already. Leave tail or remove tail. Your wish. Remove black line on back. Wash two times. Put in a bowl.
Add half spoon turmeric. Add one spoon red chilli powder. Add salt. Add one spoon lemon juice. Mix with your hand. Yes use hand. Spoon does not mix well. Keep this bowl aside for 15 minutes.
Second cook rice
Take a big pot. Add 4 cups water. Put on gas. Add bay leaf. Add cloves. Add cardamom. Add cinnamon. Add one spoon salt. Let water boil strongly.
Now add soaked basmati rice. Stir one time. Let rice cook. After some time take one grain and press between fingers. It should be soft on outside but hard little bit in centre. That is 70 percent done. Do not cook fully. Drain water from rice. Spread rice on a big plate so it cools little bit.
Third make masala
Take a pan. Add 3 spoons oil or ghee. Heat it. Add sliced onions. Fry until onion becomes golden brown. Not dark brown. Golden. Then add ginger garlic paste. Fry one minute. Smell will come nice. Then add chopped tomatoes and green chillies. Fry until tomatoes become soft and leave oil.
Now add half spoon turmeric. Add one spoon red chilli powder. Add salt. Mix everything.
Fourth cook prawns
Add marinated prawns to this masala. Mix gently. Do not break prawns. Now prawns will leave some water. Thats fine. Cook on high flame. Not low flame. High flame. Cook for only 3 to 4 minutes. You will see prawns turn pink. They curl like small circles. That means done. Add half cup curd. Mix. Turn off gas.
Fifth layering and dum
Take a heavy bottom pot. Put little ghee at bottom. Spread half of the prawn masala. Spread half of the rice on top. Sprinkle some mint and coriander. Then add remaining prawn masala. Then add remaining rice. Top with little ghee and some fried onions if you have.
Cover with tight lid. If lid is loose put a heavy weight on top like a stone or a big bowl of water. Cook on very low flame for 10 minutes. Then turn off gas. Wait 5 minutes. Do not open before that. After 5 minutes open lid. Mix very gently. See rice is separate and prawns are soft.
Your simple prawn biryani is ready. Eat with curd or raita.
Recipe Two: Prawn Biryani Hyderabadi Recipe
Now this prawn biryani Hyderabadi recipe is different. Hyderabadi means rich. Means full of spices. Means more time. But taste is very strong. People will think you ordered from good restaurant.
First marination for Hyderabadi style
Clean 500 grams prawns same way. In a bowl add turmeric half spoon. Add red chilli powder one spoon. Add salt. Add lemon juice one spoon. Add ginger garlic paste one spoon. Add thick curd half cup. Add one spoon biryani masala powder (buy from shop or make at home). Mix everything. Keep in fridge for 30 minutes. Yes fridge. Not outside. Because prawns can go bad if kept outside long.
Second cook rice
Same as before. 70 percent done. Drain. Spread on plate.
Third make Hyderabadi masala
Take a pan. Add 4 spoons ghee. Heat it. Add whole spices – bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon. If you have star anise add that also. Add sliced onions. Fry until onions become dark brown. Not golden. Dark brown. Take out half of these onions and keep separate for topping. These will go on top later.
In same pan (with remaining onions) add ginger garlic paste. Fry one minute. Add tomatoes, green chillies, mint leaves, coriander leaves. Fry until tomatoes become soft.
Now add one spoon red chilli powder. Add half spoon turmeric. Add one spoon coriander powder. Add half spoon cumin powder. Add one spoon biryani masala powder. Fry this masala until ghee starts leaving the sides. You will see oil separate. That means masala is cooked.
Fourth add prawns
Add the prawns with all the curd marinade into this masala. Mix well. Do not add water. No water at all. Prawns will leave little water. That is enough. Cook on medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes only. Taste now. Check salt. Check spice. Adjust if needed. Turn off gas.
Fifth layering Hyderabadi style
Take a heavy pot. Put some ghee at bottom. Add half of the prawn masala. Add half of the rice. Sprinkle some fried onions (the dark ones you kept aside). Sprinkle mint and coriander. If you have saffron soak little saffron in warm milk and sprinkle. Then add remaining prawn masala. Add remaining rice. Top with more fried onions. Add little ghee. Add the saffron milk if you have.
Now seal the pot. You can use wheat dough to seal. Roll a long thin dough rope and press on lid edges. Or just use a tight lid and put heavy weight. Cook on very low flame for 20 minutes. Do not open even one time. After 20 minutes turn off gas. Wait 10 minutes. Open slowly.
Mix lightly. Do not break rice. This prawn biryani Hyderabadi recipe will give you layers of taste. Each bite is different.
Recipe Three: Prawn Biryani Recipe With Coconut Milk
This prawn biryani recipe with coconut milk is from Kerala side. Coastal area people make this. It is not very spicy. It is creamy. Sweet taste from coconut. If you dont like too much masala choose this one.
First marinate prawns
Clean 500 grams prawns. Add turmeric half spoon. Add red chilli powder half spoon (less than other recipes because coconut milk is mild). Add salt. Add lemon juice. Keep for 15 minutes.
Second cook rice
Same as before. 70 percent done. Drain.
Third make coconut masala
Use coconut oil if you have. It gives real taste. If not use normal oil. Heat 2 spoons oil. Add sliced onions. Fry until light brown. Not dark. Add ginger garlic paste. Fry one minute. Add green chillies. Add curry leaves if you have. Curry leaves are good for this recipe. Add chopped tomatoes. Fry until tomatoes are soft.
Now add one spoon red chilli powder (or half spoon if you want less). Add half spoon turmeric. Add one spoon coriander powder. Fry for one minute.
Now add one cup thin coconut milk. Let it come to boil. Then add marinated prawns. Cook for 4 minutes. Then add half cup thick coconut milk. Cook for 2 more minutes on very low flame. Important – after adding thick coconut milk do not boil strongly. It will split. Just low flame stirring. Turn off gas.
Fourth layering and dum
Same layering. Take pot. Put ghee. Spread half prawn masala. Spread half rice. Sprinkle mint and coriander. Add remaining masala. Add remaining rice. Top with ghee and fried onions. Cover tightly. Cook on low flame for 10 minutes. Rest 5 minutes. Open. Mix.
This prawn biryani recipe with coconut milk is very soft. The rice becomes slightly sweet. Even children like it.
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Some Tips From My Kitchen
I am telling you these tips because I made mistakes before. So you dont make same mistakes.
- Do not overcook prawns. I said this before but I say again. Prawns take 3 to 5 minutes. After that they become rubber. Even in dum cooking they cook more. So cook masala only 4 minutes before layering.
- Use medium prawns. Small prawns get lost in rice. You will eat rice only no prawn. Big prawns take long time to cook. Medium is best.
- Clean properly. Remove black vein. Many people skip this. That vein has sand and waste. Not good.
- Tip four. Do not add too much water. When you cook prawns they leave water. That water is enough. If you add more water biryani becomes like porridge. Not nice.
- Soak rice. If you dont soak rice grains will break. If you soak too long rice becomes mushy. 30 minutes is correct.
- Use fresh mint and coriander. The smell from fresh leaves is different. Dry leaves dont give that smell.
- Low flame for dum. If you use high flame bottom rice will burn. Top rice will remain raw. Low flame makes steam cook everything.
What To Serve With Prawn Biryani?
Prawn biryani alone is enough. But if you want sides here are some.
- Onion raita. Cut one onion small pieces. Take one cup curd. Add salt. Add green chilli cut small. Add coriander. Mix. This cools down spicy biryani.
- Mirchi ka salan. This is Hyderabadi chilli curry. Little sour little spicy. Goes very well with prawn biryani Hyderabadi recipe.
- Simple salad. Cut onion rings. Cut cucumber slices. Cut tomato slices. Put lemon juice on top. Eat together.
- Boiled egg. Many people like half boiled egg on top of biryani. You can do that.
FAQs
can I use frozen prawns?
Yes you can. But thaw them completely first. Put frozen prawns in water for some time. Then remove. Wipe with cloth to take out extra water. Then marinate.
which rice is best?
Basmati rice only. Other rice becomes sticky. Biryani needs separate grains.
can I make in pressure cooker?
Yes. Cook rice separately. Then layer in cooker. Do not put weight (the whistle). Close lid. Low flame 10 minutes. Turn off. Let pressure go by itself. Then open.
how to make less spicy?
Reduce red chilli powder. Add more curd. Coconut milk version is already less spicy. You can also add more fried onion. Fried onion gives sweetness.
how to store leftover?
Keep in fridge in closed box. Eat within one day. Reheat in microwave or on tawa with little ghee. Do not reheat more than once. Prawns are sea food. They spoil fast.
Final Words
Prawn biryani is a beautiful dish. It is quick, tasty, and different from everyday biryani. Now you have three ways to make it.
If you want a fast meal, use the simple prawn biryani recipe. If you want rich festival taste, follow the prawn biryani Hyderabadi recipe. If you want a creamy mild version, make the prawn biryani recipe with coconut milk.
All three are tested in my kitchen. They work taste great. Share this with your family and friends. Try one today and tell me how it went.
