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    Home » Recipes

    8th June 2021 Dinner

    Home » Recipes

    Prawn Biryani

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    This vibrant and delicious Prawn Biryani Recipe is an easy recipe in which plump juicy Prawns are layered with fragrant rice. Resulting in the most aromatic, flavourful and comforting plate of food. What’s more? It is made with simple Indian store cupboard ingredients and is surprisingly easy to make.

    Prawn Biryani in a pot with coriander and coloured rice on top

    Prawn Biryani

    This Biryani recipe is like many other Biryani recipes in that fluffy Rice and a rich curry made with protein and yoghurt is layered in one large pot over low heat.  

    In this recipe, we are using prawns.

    There are so many varieties and versions of Birayni. There are:

    layered versions

    mixed versions

    and some versions where both the main elements are served separately. 

    What is Biryani?

    Biryani is a layered South Asian rice dish in which rice and curry are slow cooked separately with herbs and  Indian spices.

    These are then layered and cooked together to make the most delicious recipe. 

    The curry usually includes some sort of meat such as chicken, lamb, goat, fish or prawns. The curry gently bubbles away with the rice and all the flavours come together in perfect harmony.

    In this version, because the protein is prawns, the curry element differs slightly so that we don't end up with tough chewy prawns.

    Ingredients in Prawn Biryani

    Rice 

    Long grained Rice such as Basmati Rice is best.

    Prawns

    King Prawns without the shells are best. Smaller ones tend to get overcooked and can  become tough and rubbery pretty quickly. You can also use frozen prawns that have been thawed.

    Yogurt

    Plain, Natural or Greek Yoghurt can be used.

    Ginger Paste, Garlic Paste and Green Chilli Paste

    Crushed pastes or frozen blocks. You can either make them yourself by adding peeled chopped ginger, garlic or green chilli to a blender with a little oil and blending.

    Onions

    You need 4 onions in this recipe. Some for the curry base and some fried onions to go inbetween the Biryani layers. You can buy pre fried onions for the layering if you prefer.

    Oil 

    Mustard, Vegetable or Sunflower Oils can be used. I would not recommend Olive Oil. You can also add a touch of Ghee which adds flavour and also has a higher smoke point.

    Milk and Saffron

    Bloom the saffron in the milk before adding it to the rice.

    Ground Spices

    Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Red Chilli powder, Salt, Curry Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Curry Powder.

    Colouring

    You can add red and orange food colouring to some grains of the rice to make it really vibrant.

    Whole spices

    Bay Leaves, Cardamom Pods, Cloves, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Caraway.

    Lemon Juice

    Just a touch to balance the flavours.

    Tomatoes

    Pureed Plum Tomatoes from a tin or blend 2 Tomatoes. 

    how to make prawn biryani

    For full detailed recipe, scroll to the bottom of the page:

    Add Saffron to warmed Milk and set aside. I like to break and dry toast the Saffron first before using.

    If you want to use fried onions between layers, fry them now until a deep golden brown. Or use ready made. 

    Marinade Prawns in Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder and Salt.

    Pre soak the rice for 30 minutes.

    Boil the water with the Bay Leaf, Caraway Seeds, Cinnamon Sticks, Cardamom Pods, Black Peppercorn, a generous pinch of Salt and Lemon Juice. 

    Bring back to the boil, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to a simmer.

    Cook for 15 minutes, then drain and set aside. 

    Rice with whole spices in pot

    Fry Onions in oil until golden brown, then add whole spices - Bay Leaves, Caraway Seeds, Cinnamon, Green Cardamom and Black Pepper. Cook till fragrant.

    Onions cooking in oil/ghee in pot

    Whole spices added to golden onions in pot

    Add Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilli and cook for a few minutes before adding Ground Coriander, Ground Cumin, Ground Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder and Salt.

    Ginger, garlic and green chilli added to pot

    Ground spices added to pot

    Pour in the Tomato. Bring to a boil and then cook covered on low heat, for 15 - 20 minutes.

    Tomato added to pot

    Add Yoghurt, Garam Masala Powder and Curry Powder and Prawns. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring throughout.

    Yoghurt added to pot

    Prawns added to pot

    Prawn curry on top of rice layer in pot

    Add some oil to the bottom of a large pot. 

    Add a layer of rice to the bottom of a large pot. Then add a layer of Curry. Continue with layers till everything is used up.

    Pour over the Saffron Milk.

    Add dots of Ghee over the rice. Pour/flick over coloured water if using.

    Pot showing top layer of biryani with onions and coriander on top

    Dots of ghee added to top layer of rice

    Cover in 2 layers of foil and add the lid. Cook on low for 15 - 25 minutes, leave covered for 10 minutes.

    Pot covered in 2 layers of foil

    Check that the rice is cooked, otherwise continue to cook on low till rice is cooked through.

    Prawn Biryani in a white and terracotta dish with handles on a table

    Prawn Biryani in a plate

    Top tips to make the best Prawn Biryani

    Whole Spices 

    Using whole spices and adding them to the golden brown onions adds a wonderful depth of flavour and aroma that cannot be replicated. 

    Marinade 

    Marinading the prawns and cooking them for a very short time ensures that they take in flavour whilst not getting overcooked. 

    Rice 

    I use pre soaked Basmati Rice in this recipe. The basmati rice I prefer is either Mustafa Rice or Tilda Basmati. The rice should be long-grained. Aged basmati yields better results.

    Pre soak the rice

    When time isn't as issue, you should always soak rice for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.

    Soaking the rice removes excess starch, reduces cooking time and makes for a more fluffy overall dish.

    If you do not have time to soak the rice, thoroughly rinse the rice before adding it to the pot.

    Please note that this will change cooking times and quantity of water needed too. Presoaked rice grains require less water for cooking as compared to rice grains which are not soaked

    Caramelising onions 

    Adding this between layers means you get the most deliciously sweet flavour. This is optional though.

    Kewra Water 

    A lot of people, add rose water or kewra water to the top layer of Biryani recipes but I don’t really like it so I avoid it. You can add some if you like.

    Eggs 

    You can add serve this Biryani with boiled eggs. Eggs always make everything better.

    Yoghurt 

    Whisk before adding to the tomato mixture to stop it from curdling. You can also add some of the tomato mixture to the yoghurt and whisk together before adding the whole lot back to the pot. 

    Boiling the Rice

    The rice will taste salty once boiled but it does get drained so this is ok.

    Variations

    Different Meat - Use other Proteins such as Lamb, Chicken, Goat. It will take longer to cook though. Make sure the meat is fully cooked in the curry before layering.

    Scale up - You can double to triple this recipe and just make it in a large pot but you DO NOT NEED to increase the spices by double or triple the amount. Just adjust slightly.  

    Storage 

    Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

    Can Biryani be frozen?

    Biryani freezes really well. You can freeze the whole lot in a good freezer friendly air tight container for up to 3 months.

    To reheat, thaw the biryani overnight in the fridge or reheat for a few hours on the countertop. Reheat in microwave or on stove top over low heat until warm through.

    How to serve

    This recipe is perfect served with Papadum, Pickles (Achaar), Kacumbur (Salad) and Raita. I love this Onion one.

    How to Make Ahead 

    You can par boil the rice up to 24 hours ahead of using. You can marinade the Prawns for he same length of time too. 

    You can also make saffron milk and brown the onions ahead of time.

    Then on the day of, assemble the biryani layers and cook as per recipe.

    Or you can make the recipe up until the prawns are added and boil the rice ahead of time and then continue with the recipe. 

    FAQs 

    What does biryani taste like?

    Biryani tastes like a spiced rice and curry one pot dish. It is jam packed full of flavour and so delicious. 

    How Healthy is Biryani?

    Biryani is surprisingly healthy if you don’t add fried Onions between layers. If you do add them anyway, the quantity is shared between 6 portions so it is ok!

    Is Biryani spicy?

    That is up to you. You can make it as spicy as you like! This. recipe is actually pretty mild. 

    More South Asian Rice Recipes:

    Keema Rice

    Parda Biryani

    Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

    Pakistani Chicken Biryani Recipe

    Chicken Akni, One Pot Chicken and Rice

    Dal Chawal

    **if you make and enjoy this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating. please tag us on instagram. we love to see your creations and your feedback helps us to shape future content! we love to hear from you. thankyou! x

     
    Prawn Biryani in a pot with coriander and coloured rice on top
    5 from 1 vote
    Print

    Prawn Biryani

    This vibrant and delicious Prawn Biryani Recipe is an easy recipe in which plump juicy Prawns are layered with fragrant rice. Resulting in the most aromatic, flavourful and comforting plate of food. What’s more? It is made with simple Indian store cupboard ingredients and is surprisingly easy to make.

    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Indian
    Keyword Biryani, Prawn Biryani
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 448 kcal
    Author Safira

    Ingredients

    Saffron Milk

    • 50 ml Milk Warmed for a few seconds in microwave
    • Few strands Saffron

    Fried Onions

    • 300 ml Oil Veg
    • 2 Onions Sliced

    Marinaded Prawns

    • 400 g King Prawns Without Shell, Deveined
    • ½ tsp Pureed Garlic
    • ½ tsp Pureed Ginger
    • ¼ tsp Turmeric
    • ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
    • 1 tsp Cumin Powder
    • Pinch Salt
    • 1 tsp Coriander Powder

    Rice

    • 2 cups Rice soaked for 30 minutes
    • 4 cups Water
    • 2 Bay Leaf
    • 2 Cardamom Pods
    • 1 Cinnamon Stick
    • 3 Cloves
    • 4 Black Peppercorns
    • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

    Curry

    • 2 tbsp Ghee
    • 2 tbsp Oil
    • 2 large Onions Sliced Finely

    Whole Spices

    • 1 Bay Leaf
    • 1 tsp Caraway Seeds
    • 1 Cinnamon Stick
    • 2 Green Cardamom
    • 4 Black Peppercorns

    Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilli

    • 2 tsp Ginger Paste
    • 2 tsp Garlic Paste
    • 1 tsp Green Chilli Paste

    Ground Spices

    • 2 tsp Ground Coriander
    • 2 tsp Ground Cumin
    • ½ tsp Ground Turmeric
    • ¾ tsp Red Chilli Powder
    • 1 - 2 tsp Salt

    Remaining Curry Ingredients

    • 200 g Plum Tomato tin Pureed
    • 5 tbsp Natural Yoghurt Whisked
    • 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
    • 1 tsp Curry Powder Optional, I use Madras

    Layering

    • Handful Coriander leaves and stems chopped
    • Ghee
    • Red and Orange Powdered food colouring Optional, dilute in water

    Instructions

    Saffron Milk

    1. Add Saffron to warmed Milk and set aside. I like to break and dry toast the Saffron first before using.

    Fried Onions

    1. If you want to use fried onions between layers, fry them now until a deep golden brown. Or use ready made. 

    Marinaded Prawns

    1. Marinade Prawns in Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder and Salt.

    Rice

    1. Boil the water with the Bay Leaf, Caraway Seeds, Cinnamon Sticks, Cardamom Pods, Black Peppercorn, a generous pinch of Salt and Lemon Juice. Bring back to the boil, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then drain and set aside. 

    Curry

    1. Heat Oil and Ghee. Fry Onions until golden brown (25 - 30 minutes), then add Bay Leaves, Caraway Seeds, Cinnamon, Green Cardamom and Black Pepper. Cook till fragrant.

    2. Add Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilli and cook for a few minutes before adding ground Spices.

    3. Pour in the Tomato. Bring to a boil and then cook covered on low heat, for 15 - 20 minutes.

    4. Add Yoghurt, Garam Masala Powder and Curry Powder and Prawns. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occassionally. Remove from heat.

    Assemble

    1. Add some oil to the bottom of a large pot. Add a layer of rice to the bottom of a large pot. Then add a layer of Curry. Continue with layers till everything is used up.

    2. Pour over the Saffron Milk on the top layer.

    3. Add dots of Ghee. Flick over coloured water if using.

    4. Cover in 2 layers of foil and add the lid. Cook on low for 15 - 25 minutes, leave covered for 10 minutes.

    5. Check that the rice is cooked, otherwise continue to cook on low till rice is cooked through.

    Recipe Notes

    Top tips to make the best Prawn Biryani

    Whole Spices 

    Using whole spices and adding them to the golden brown onions adds a wonderful depth of flavour and aroma that cannot be replicated. 

    Marinade 

    Marinading the prawns and cooking them for a very short time ensures that they take in flavour whilst not getting overcooked. 

    Rice 

    I use pre soaked Basmati Rice in this recipe. The basmati rice I prefer is either Mustafa Rice or Tilda Basmati. The rice should be long-grained. Aged basmati yields better results.

    Pre soak the rice

    When time isn't as issue, you should always soak rice for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.

    Soaking the rice removes excess starch, reduces cooking time and makes for a more fluffy overall dish.

    If you do not have time to soak the rice, then just thoroughly rinse the rice before adding it to the pot.

    Please note that this will change cooking times and quantity of water needed too. Presoaked rice grains require less water for cooking as compared to rice grains which are not soaked

    Caramelising onions 

    Adding this between layers means you get the most deliciously sweet flavour. This is optional though.

    Kewra Water 

    A lot of people, add rose water or kewra water to the top layer of Biryani recipes but I don’t really like it so I avoid it. You can add some if you like.

    Eggs 

    You can add serve this Biryani with boiled eggs. Eggs always make everything better.

    Yoghurt 

    Whisk before adding to the tomato mixture to stop it from curdling. You can also add some of the tomato mixture to the yoghurt and whisk together before adding the whole lot back to the pot. 

    Boiling the Rice

    The rice will taste salty once boiled but it does get drained so this is ok.

    Variations

    Different Meat - Use other Proteins such as Lamb, Chicken, Goat. It will take longer to cook though. Make sure the meat is fully cooked in the curry before layering.

    Scale up - You can double to triple this recipe and just make it in a large pot but you DO NOT NEED to increase the spices by double or triple the amount. Just adjust slightly.  

    Storage 

    Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

    Can Biryani be frozen?

    Biryani freezes really well. You can freeze the whole lot in a good freezer friendly air tight container for up to 3 months.

    To reheat, thaw the biryani overnight in the fridge or reheat for a few hours on the countertop. Reheat in microwave or on stove top over low heat until warm through.

    How to serve

    This recipe is perfect served with Papadum, Pickles (Achaar), Kacumbur (Salad) and Raita. I love this Onion one.

    How to Make Ahead 

    You can par boil the rice up to 24 hours ahead of using. You can marinade the Prawns for he same length of time too. 

    You can also make saffron milk and brown the onions ahead of time.

    Then on the day of, assemble the biryani layers and cook as per recipe.

    Or you can make the recipe up until the prawns are added and boil the rice ahead of time.  

    Nutrition Facts
    Prawn Biryani
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 448 Calories from Fat 117
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 13g20%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 5g
    Cholesterol 184mg61%
    Sodium 1710mg74%
    Potassium 367mg10%
    Carbohydrates 63g21%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 21g42%
    Vitamin A 57IU1%
    Vitamin C 12mg15%
    Calcium 211mg21%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

     

     

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