🦐 Prawns Biryani has a charm of its own. The delicate sweetness of prawns works beautifully with fragrant basmati rice, golden fried onions, fresh mint and warm spices.

Unlike chicken or mutton, prawns need very little cooking time. That is the important part to remember. They should be seasoned well and cooked gently so they remain juicy, tender and full of flavour.

This recipe follows a traditional layered biryani style, keeping the spices balanced and allowing the natural flavour of the prawns to shine.

🍽️ RECIPE AT A GLANCE

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🛒 INGREDIENTS

For the Prawns

• 500 g medium or large prawns, cleaned and deveined
• ½ cup thick curd
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• Salt to taste

For the Rice

• 3 cups basmati rice
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cloves
• 3 green cardamoms
• 1 black cardamom
• 1-inch cinnamon
• 1 tsp shahi jeera
• 3–4 green chillies, slit
• Salt to taste
• Water for boiling

For the Biryani Masala

• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2–3 green chillies, slit
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves
• ½ cup fresh coriander leaves
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

For Layering

• 10–12 saffron strands
• ¼ cup warm milk
• Fried onions
• Fresh mint leaves
• Fresh coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp ghee

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👩🍳 METHOD

1. Marinate the Prawns

Place the cleaned prawns in a bowl.

Add curd, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, lemon juice, mint, coriander and salt.

Mix gently until the prawns are evenly coated.

Cover and keep aside for 20–30 minutes.

Don't marinate prawns for many hours. Their delicate texture doesn't need the long marination used for meat.

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2. Prepare the Rice

Wash the basmati rice gently until the water becomes mostly clear.

Soak for 20–30 minutes.

Bring plenty of water to a boil. Add the bay leaf, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, shahi jeera, green chillies and salt.

Add the soaked rice.

Cook until the rice is about 70–80% done. The grains should be cooked outside but still slightly firm in the centre.

Drain immediately and keep aside.

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3. Prepare the Biryani Masala

Heat the oil and ghee in a heavy-bottomed handi or pot.

Add the sliced onions and cook until golden brown. Keep some aside for layering.

Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Cook until the raw smell disappears.

Add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder.

Cook until the tomatoes soften and the oil begins to separate.

Lower the heat and add the marinated prawns.

Cook gently for 4–5 minutes, turning them carefully.

The prawns should just begin to turn opaque and curl.

Do not overcook them.

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4. Layer the Biryani

Spread the prawn masala evenly across the bottom of the pot.

Gently spread the partly cooked rice over it.

Sprinkle the fried onions, mint and coriander.

Mix the saffron with warm milk and drizzle it over the rice.

Finish with the remaining ghee.

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5. Dum Cook

Cover the pot tightly with a lid.

Seal the edges with dough if desired.

Cook on medium heat for 5–7 minutes to build steam.

Then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 15–20 minutes.

The gentle steam allows the rice to finish cooking and absorb the aroma of the prawn masala.

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6. Rest the Biryani

Turn off the heat and leave the biryani covered for 10 minutes.

This gives the rice time to finish steaming and allows the flavours to settle.

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7. Serve

Open the lid and gently fluff the rice from the sides.

Lift the prawns carefully so they remain whole.

Serve hot with:

• Onion raita
• Sliced onions
• Lemon wedges
• Fresh mint
• Mirchi ka salan

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👌 CHEF'S TIPS

Choose fresh prawns: Fresh prawns have a naturally sweet flavour that works beautifully with biryani.

Don't over-marinate: Prawns are delicate and don't need the long marination used for chicken or mutton.

Don't overcook the prawns: This is the most important tip. Overcooked prawns become rubbery.

Keep the rice slightly undercooked: The rice finishes cooking during dum.

Fry the onions slowly: Golden fried onions add sweetness and depth to the biryani.

Handle everything gently: Prawns can break easily once cooked.

Keep the dum gentle: Too much heat can dry out the prawns and burn the rice at the bottom.

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🍋 TRADITIONAL SERVING

Prawns Biryani is delicious with something cool and fresh on the side.

Serve it with raita, sliced onions and lemon wedges. A mild salan can also be served alongside for a fuller meal.

💛 THE CHEF PEARLS TOUCH

Good biryani isn't about covering every ingredient with spices.

With prawns, the secret is knowing when to stop cooking.

Let the rice carry the fragrance, let the spices support the prawns, and let gentle dum bring everything together.

When the rice is fluffy, the prawns are tender and the whole table smells of biryani — that's when you know it was worth the wait. 💛

— Chef’s Journal by Chef Pearls 💛