Indian Prawn Biryani

A fragrant prawn biryani with basmati rice, warming spices, fresh herbs and golden onions. The prawns cook briefly before being layered with partially cooked rice and gently steamed together.

Ingredients

For the prawns and marinade

• 600g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
• 100g full-fat natural yoghurt
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, or mild chilli powder
• ¾ tsp fine salt

For the rice

• 350g basmati rice
• 2 litres water
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 4 cloves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf

For the biryani

• 3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped — optional
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 20g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 10g fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• A pinch of saffron
• 3 tbsp warm milk
• 15g butter, melted

Serves 4

Method

1. Prepare the rice.
   Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs almost clear. Cover with fresh cold water, soak for 30 minutes, then drain.
2. Marinate the prawns.
   Pat the prawns dry. Mix with the yoghurt, ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder and salt. Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.
3. Infuse the saffron.
   Add the saffron to the warm milk and leave to infuse.
4. Cook the onions.
   Heat the ghee or oil in your heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 18–22 minutes, stirring regularly, until deeply golden. Reduce the heat if they begin to catch. Lift out half the onions and reserve for layering.
5. Make the masala.
   Add the green chilli, if using, to the remaining onions. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Cook for 6–8 minutes until softened and reduced to a thick mixture. Stir in the garam masala.
6. Part-cook the rice.
   Meanwhile, bring the 2 litres of water to the boil in a separate saucepan. Add the salt, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf, followed by the drained rice. Boil for approximately 4–6 minutes. The grains should be soft on the outside with a distinctly firm centre. Drain immediately.
7. Add the prawns.
   Stir the prawns and their marinade into the tomato masala. Cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring gently. They should only just begin to turn pink; they will finish cooking during steaming. The sauce should be thick but moist. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and half the coriander and mint.
8. Layer the biryani.
   Spread the drained rice evenly over the prawns without mixing. Scatter over the reserved onions and remaining herbs. Drizzle with the saffron milk and melted butter.
9. Steam gently.
   Cover tightly with the lid; if it fits loosely, place a sheet of foil beneath it to seal. Return to the lowest heat and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the rice is tender and the prawns are opaque throughout. Avoid lifting the lid during the first 12 minutes.
10. Rest and serve.
    Remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Use a wide spoon to lift portions from the bottom, keeping the rice grains intact. Remove any visible whole spices as you serve.

To serve

Serve with cucumber raita, lemon wedges and a tomato and red onion salad.

Chef’s tip:
Use large raw prawns for the best texture. Small or already-cooked prawns can become tough during the final steaming.