FRIED PRAWN BIRYANI

Jump to Recipe

Fried prawn biryani is a flavourful, aromatic rice dish made with fragrant basmati rice, juicy prawns marinated in spices and fried until lightly crisp, then cooked together with a rich onion-tomato masala, herbs and whole spices. The mild crispy, spiced prawns add a delicious contrast to the tender, fluffy rice making every bite rich, aromatic and satisfying.

The taste and the flavour of the fried prawn biryani is different from the regular prawn biryani. Regular prawn biryani holds a strong fishy smell from the prawns. Fried prawn biryani has a strong flavour of the usual biryani spices, rather than the seafood flavours. Since, the prawns are marinated, fried and then added, the seafood flavours are minimized, dominating the flavours of spices added to the recipe.

Fried prawn biryani is commonly served with ONION RAITA, MIRCHI KA SALAN and BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

Fried prawn biryani can either be made in dum style or using a pressure cooker. I’ve made this recipe using a pressure cooker. Using a pressure cooker is much more convenient than the other methods. It is a one-pot recipe. Frying the prawns and preparing the masala can be made in the same pressure cooker.

I’ve used 1 kg of basmati rice and 1 kg medium size prawns (before cleaning) for this recipe. 1 kg of medium sized prawns yields around 500~600 gms of peeled and deveined prawns. This recipe serves around 7~8.

This recipe can be made in a 7, 7.5, 8 or 8.5 litre pressure cooker. I’ve used 8 litre pressure cooker to make this recipe.

INGREDIENTS FOR FRIED PRAWN BIRYANI:

FOR FRYING PRAWNS:

• PRAWNS (PEELED & DEVEINED) – 500 ~ 600 GMS
• CHILLY POWDER – 1 TBSP
• BIRYANI MASALA – 1 TSP
• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TBSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• OIL – 4 TBSP ( FOR FRYING)

FOR MAKING BIRYANI:

• BASMATI RICE – 1 KG (4 CUPS)
• ONIONS (MEDIUM SIZE / THINLY SLICED) – 6 NOS.
• TOMATO (MEDIUM SIZE / THINLY SLICED) – 2 NOS.
• GREEN CHILLIES (SLIT / MEDIUM SPICY) – 3 NOS.
• MINT LEAVES – 1 CUP
• CORIANDER LEAVES – 1 CUP
• CURD – 1/2 CUP
• CHILLY POWDER – 1 TBSP
• BIRYANI MASALA – 1 TSP
• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TBSP
• LEMON JUICE – 1 TBSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• OIL – 1/4 CUP
• GHEE – 1~2 TBSP

HOW TO MAKE FRIED PRAWN BIRYANI:

• Add the cleaned and deveined prawns to a mixing bowl.

• Add the chilly powder, biryani masala, ginger garlic paste and salt to it.

• Mix everything well. Cover it and place it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

• After about 30 minutes, remove it from the refrigerator.
• Heat a pan. Pressure cooker can also be used. Add 2 tbsp of oil to it.
• Once the oil is heated, add the marinated prawns to it. Add them in a single row. Do not overcrowd.

• The prawns will start to ooze out water, which eventually dries while it cooks.

• Once the water dries out completely, remove it from the pan and transfer it to a plate. Do not let them fry completely.

• Repeat the process with the remaining marinated prawns. Keep the fried prawns aside.

• Just before starting to cook the masala, wash and soak 1 kg of basmati rice for about 30 minutes.

• Heat the pressure cooker and add 1/4 cup of oil and 2 tbsp of ghee to it. The same pressure cooker can be used. Maintain the flame at medium-high.

• Once the ghee starts to melt, add the sliced onions to it. Also, add the required salt and mix it well.

• Saute the onions, until it turns light golden brown in color.

• Once the onions start to turn light golden brown in color, add the green chillies and ginger garlic paste to it.

• Saute them really well. After about 60 seconds, the oil will start to separate.

• At this stage, turn the flame to medium-low, and add the chilly powder and biryani masala to it.

• Mix it really well, until the masalas are well combined. Then add the sliced tomatoes to it.

• Mix it well, and let it cook on medium-low for 2 minutes, or until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.

• After about 2 minutes, add the mint leaves and coriander leaves to it and mix it well. Reserve few mint leaves and coriander leaves for garnishing. They soften as soon as they are mixed with the prepared masala.

• Once they are well combined, add 1/2 cup of curd to it. Also, add the fried prawns to it. Mix it well.

• To 1 cup of rice, add 1.5 cups of water. I’ve added 6 cups of water for 4 cups of rice.

• Turn the flame to medium-high, and let it come to boil.

• Once it starts to boil, drain the water and add the soaked basmati rice to it.

• Also, add the lemon juice and mix it gently.
• Garnish it with the reserved mint and coriander leaves. Cover it and pressure cook it for 1 whistle.

• After 1 whistle, turn OFF the flame. Once the pressure is released completely, open the lid.

• Mix it gently, without breaking the rice.

YUMMY AND DELICIOUS FRIED PRAWN BIRYANI IS READY.

SERVE IT WITH ONION RAITA OR BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI.

I HAD FRIED PRAWN BIRYANI WITH ONION RAITA AND CRISPY FRIED PRAWNS.

VARIATIONS:

• The amount of chilly powder added can be adjusted according to our preference.
• The amount of green chillies added can be adjusted according to our preference.
• Basmati rice can also be replaced with seeraga samba rice, for an authentic traditional taste and flavour.
• I’ve used homemade biryani masala for this recipe. Store bought readymade masala can also be used for this recipe.
• I’ve used medium sized prawns for this recipe. Smaller or larger sized prawns can also be used.

PRO TIPS:

• Fry the prawns just until the water dries out completely. Over cooking the prawns might make it hard and chewy.
• Soak the basmati rice, while starting to cook the masala. The rice should be soaked for about 30 minutes. The masala preparation also takes around 30 minutes. Soaking the rice for a long time, might make the mushy.
• Use good quality basmati rice for a perfect texture.
• Some brands of basmati rice can turn mushy, when cooked in large quantity (more than 2 cups of rice). In such case, reduce the amount of water added to it. To 1 cup of rice, add 1.25 cups of water instead of 1.5 cups of water.
• 1 kg of rice, along with 1 kg of prawns can be cooked in 7, 7.5, 8 or 8.5 litres of pressure cooker.
• Open the lid, only when the pressure is released completely. It takes around 25 to 30 minutes for the pressure to release completely.