Prawn Biryani / Chemmeen Biryani / Shrimp Biryani ~ Pressure Cooker Version

Foreword: Me and the huss are hard-core non-vegetarians, the favorite being chicken. But considering our love for non-veg dishes, this blog holds very little NV dishes. In my quest to fill up the Non-veg index, I am starting to post a few chicken, mutton and prawn recipes here. And with Christmas round the corner, I think this is the best time. So veggie readers please ignore the next few posts.
Prawns had never appealed to me before marriage and as back as my memories can take me, I can never recall amma making prawn dishes for us. I was first introduced to prawns after my marriage when my MIL made a delicious prawn thokku for our dinner. Said hubby loved to have it with chapathis or dosas. I detested prawns then and after loads of requests and assurance from my MIL, I took a bite and from then I have been hooked to the taste of prawns. When cooked properly, I would say these are the best sea food, next to crab ~ okay atleast in my list.

I have not followed the traditional dum method here but have used the pressure cooker. To be frank, till date I have not tried making biryani using the dum method. Amma does it but me, I have never even thought about trying it. Using the pressure cooker takes half the time of the dum method but yields good results not the best but good and I am satisfied with that. Whenever Amma comes here, she makes me her chicken dum biryani and I am fine with the occasional taste.

Coming to this prawn biryani, I opted to make this when I had only 1 hour to lunch. I had to go grocery shopping and by the time I reached home it was 11. Had planned to make fish curry and prawn thokku for our lunch, but then was out of time ~ had to run to the fish market to get the prawns, had to come back, clean, de-vein them and then the clock struck 12. By the time, a curry and thokku was literally out-of-focus for me and that is when I decided to make this one pot biryani. The prep took 15 mins, another 30 mins for marination, used that to rest myself and the biryani was done in another 30 mins. Serve it with some onion raitha and it makes a lip smacking meal.

~*What U Need*~ Shrimp / Prawn - 1/2 kg Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cups Water - 2 cups To Marinate the prawns: Lemon juice - 1 tbsp Red Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Cumin powder - 1 pinch Salt to taste Cinnamon stick - 1" Cloves - 2 Cardamom pods - 2 Onions - 3, medium Tomato - 2, medium Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsps Curd - 1/3 cup Coriander powder - 2 tsp Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp Garam masala - 1/2 tsp Biryani masala - 1/2 tsp Cumin powder - a pinch To grind Mint leaves - 1/4 cup Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup Green chilli - 1 Grated coconut - 3 tbsps Salt, Oil Ghee - 2 tbsp Chopped coriander, mint leaves - a handful

How I Made it:
Peel, de-vein and clean the prawns. Marinate the prawns with ingredients given under to marinate for 30 mins. In a non-stick pan, shallow fry the prawns for 2-3 mins on each side. Set aside. Grind the ingredients under to grind to a smooth paste. Clean and soak basmati rice for 15 mins.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add cinnamon, cloves and rushed cardamom pods and fry. Add the chopped onions, fry. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off. Add the tomatoes and fry till oil oozes out.

Add the spice powders and mix well. Add the ground masala and mix. Fry for 5 mins. Add the curd and stir. Next dump in the fried prawns and mix well. Fry for 2 mins.

Add water, basmati rice, chopped mint and coriander leaves and ghee, give a mix and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Once the pressure leaves, remove lid and fluff with fork.

Serve hot with raita of choice.

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!