Malabar Prawns Dum Biryani | thalassery chemmeen biriyani
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Aromatic basmati rice dum cooked with prawns, spice powders, and herbs in this prawn biryani recipe.
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
For Prawns Marinade
- 600 gm Prawns
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
For Frying
- 4 tablespoon oil
- 1/4 cup cashews
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced, about 2 cups
For Prawn Masala
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon crushed ginger
- 2 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 4 green chilies
- 2 tomatoes chopped, about 1 cup
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp garamamasala powder
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup yogurt
For the Rice
- 5-6 cardamom
- 6-8 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 inch cinnamon
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 3 cups boiled water
Prepare the shrimp marinade:
For Garnish and Dum
Heat 4 tablespoon oil, fry the cashews and raisins separately and keep them aside
Use the same oil to fry 2 cups of thinly sliced onions until golden brown. Remove from the heat and keep it aside.
Use the same oil to pan fry marinated Prawns.
Prepare Prawn Masala
Heat a pan, add 2 tbsp butter.
Add 3 green chilies, crushed garlic, and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes and add 2 cups of finely chopped onions and salt. Fry the onion until onion is soft and light brown
Add 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fry for 3-4 over medium heat until tomatoes are soft and mushy.
Add dry spices: 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala powder. Stir very well and saute until the raw smell is gone, 1-2 minutes
Add 1/2 cup coriander leaves and 1/2 cup mint leaves. Saute for 1-2 minutes and then add 1 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 cup yogurt. Saute for another 1-2 minutes.
Add fried prawns and mix it very well.
Turn off heat and keep it aside.
Cook Rice
Heat 1/4 cup ghee and add the whole spices. After 30 sec, add 1 cup sliced onion and saute till light golden color (no need to brown the onion)
Add the soaked and drained rice and stir fry for 4-5 minutes.
Add 3 cups of boiled water and salt
When the water starts to boil again, cover and cook on low heat for about 8-10 minutes or till all the water is absorbed, stirring once or twice. Rice only needs to be cooked 80%, when you press with your finger, a bit firm in the middle.
Turn off heat, fluff the rice, cover with a lid again and keep it aside.
Layer the Biryani
Take a heavy bottom pan, then add the prepared prawn masala, sprinkle some of the fried onion and mix all together well.
After the prawn masala layer, add 1/3 of the cooked rice on top of the prawn masala
After you add the rice layer, sprinkle, fried cashews, raisins, fried onion, saffron soaked milk, finely chopped coriander leaves, and mint leaves
Layer remaining rice on top and then garnish with fried cashews, raisins, fried onion, saffron soaked milk, coriander leaves, mint leaves, l tbsp ghee. Also, sprinkle 1/2 tsp of garam masala. Cover with a tight lid.
Dum Biryani
There are 2 ways that you can dum the biryani, in the oven or on the stovetop.
If the biryani pot is oven-proof then, bake at 350 F for 10 minutes Or go to the next step for the stovetop method
Heat a large Tawa over high heat, once it is hot, reduce the heat to medium-high and then place the biryani pot on top of the Tawa.
Cook for 3-5 minutes on medium-high heat and 8 - 10 minutes on the lowest heat.
Turn off heat, then leave it covered for another 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and mix it all together very well.
Serve with Raita and papadam.