Chemmeen/Prawn Biriyani

Big prawns – 1 lbs

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Salt – to taste

Clean and de-vein the prawns. Marinate with the other three ingredients and let stand for at least 30 minutes.

Basmati Rice – 2 cups

Bay leaves – 1

Cardamom – 3

Cloves – 3

Salt – to taste

Lemon juice – ½ tsp

Wash the rice, soak for 15-20 minutes, and drain. Bring 3 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add the whole spices, salt, and lemon juice. Add rice and bring it to another boil. Partially cover with a lid and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Turn off the stove and cover completely with the lid. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you can open the pan and separate the rice grains with a fork.

Onions – 3 medium sized(finely chopped)

Garlic – 8-10 cloves

Ginger – 1 small piece

Green chillies – 4 (take more or less to suit your needs0

(Finely chop the above three ingredients, or process in the food processor.)

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Biriyani masala – 1 tsp (recipe follows)

Tomato – 1 (chopped)

Juice of a lemon

Chopped cilantro & mint leaves – ¼ cup each

Ghee/Cooking oil – ¼ cup

For garnishing:

Thinly sliced onions – 1

Cashew nuts – ¼ cup

Raisins – ¼ cup

Heat oil/ghee in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Add cashew nuts and raisins and fry until golden brown. Remove to a container lined with paper towel. Now fry the thinly sliced onions until golden color. Remove, and keep it with the cashews and raisins. Add the shrimps and fry for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the oil and keep aside.

Add finely chopped onion to the same oil and cook until translucent. Add ginger, garlic and green chillies, and cook until the raw smell disappears. Do not let it brown. Add coriander powder and the biriyani masala. (To make a quick biriyani masala, in a dry grinder, powder a small piece of nutmeg, a small piece of star anise, ¼ tsp shah jeera, 2 tsp white poppy seeds, and 1 tsp of fennel seeds. Or use mallugirl’s recipe.)

Add tomatos and lemon juice. You can add a little water if there is not enough gravy. But if you use juicy tomatoes, there will be enough gravy.

Cook until the tomatoes are soft and add the fried prawns. Bring the gravy to a boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add chopped cilantro and mint leaves. Stir well and cook for one more minute. Taste for salt. Masala is ready!

You can layer the rice with prawn masala, or just transfer half of the rice to the masala and mix. Add rest of the rice on top. Cover it tightly and bake in a preheated 300 degree F oven for about 20-30 minutes. Turn off the oven after this time, but let the biriyani sit in the oven for another 30 minutes.

Garnish with fried onions, cashews, and raisins. Serve hot with pickles, pappadam, salads, raita, or chutney.

This is my entry for RCI Kerala hosted by Jyothsna of Curry Bazar.