Easy Prawn Biriyani – Pressure Cooker Version

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!

Ingredients (Serves 2 – 3 )

1. Prawns – 20 – 22

2. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

    Chilly powder – 1/4 – 1/2 tsp

    Pepper powder – 1/8 tsp

    Salt – To taste

    Lemon juice – 1/2 tsp

Marinate prawns with the above ingredients numbered 2 for at least 15 minutes. Shallow fry in 2 tsp oil for 2 minutes on each side or until prawns are half-done.

Other ingredients

3. Basmati rice – 1.5 cups

4. Oil – 1 tbsp

5. Whole spices – Cardamom – 2, whole pepper corns – 4, cinnamon stick – 1/2 inch, cloves – 5

6. Cashews – 2 tbsp

7. Onion – 1/2 medium, thinly sliced and halved

    Ginger-garlic paste – 1.5 tsp

    Green chilly – 1, slit

8. Turmeric powder – 2 pinches

    Chilly powder – 1/4 tsp

    Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

    Garam masala powder – 1/4 – 1/2 tsp

9. Mint leaves – 20 – 25 or 1/2 cup, chopped (Set aside 2 tbsp to garnish)

    Cilantro – 2 – 3 tbsp, chopped

10. Hot water – 2 cups

11. Medium-thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup

12. Salt  To taste

Method

1. Soak basmati rice for 20 minutes in enough water. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker (I used a 5 liter pressure cooker). Add whole spices and stir until fragrant. Add cashews and stir until golden. Next add sliced onion, ginger-garlic paste and slit green chilly. Saute until onion turns transparent and raw smell of ginger-garlic paste leaves. Add spice powders numbered 8. Saute until their raw smell leaves. Add chopped mint leaves and cilantro. Saute for a minute.

3. Add drained basmati rice. Mix well and stir everything for a minute. Add hot water and coconut milk. Mix well. Adjust salt. Add in the half-cooked prawns. Mix gently. Close the pressure-cooker with its lid. Cook at medium heat until steam starts coming out. Place the weight on top and bring down the heat to medium-low. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Switch off. Open the pressure-cooker when pressure releases or after 10 – 15 minutes. Biriyani will be perfectly done. Fluff rice with a fork, mix everything carefully and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped mint and cilantro. This can be eaten on its own or you can enjoy it with raita, pickle and pappad. Its very easy, yummy and can be done in less than 45 minutes!

Tip

Coconut milk imparts a nice flavor to this biriyani. Instead of 2 cups water and 1/2 cup medium coconut milk, you can add 2.5 cup thin coconut milk.