Shrimp/Prawn Biriyani

Ingredients:

For shrimp gravy:

Shrimp/ Prawns -1 lb

Onion - 2

Ginger – small piece

Garlic -  10 cloves

Green chili – 7 or 8

Cilantro - handful

Mint leaves - handful

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Red chili powder – 1 tsp

Lemon - half

Salt as required

Oil/ ghee -  3tbs

For rice:

Basmati rice – 2 cups

Water – 2 cups

Cardamom – 4
Aniseed - 3
Pepper corn - ¼ tsp

Oil/ ghee – 1tbs
Salt as required

For garnishing:

Onion - ½ cup finely sliced

Cashew - 2 tsp
Raisin - 2tsp
Saffron color -mixed in milk 3 tbs
Oil/ghee - required oil for frying onion, cashew & raisin

Preparation:

Wash the rice nicely and drain well. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a cooking vessel and fry rice for 3 to 5 minutes. Add 4  cups of water, salt and cardamom, aniseed, peppercorn and cook it covered till it is done.
Fry onion, cashew, raisins in ghee/oil and keep aside.

Wash & clean the shrimp nicely & marinate with turmeric, red chili powder, salt & lemon juice for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and fry shrimp and keep aside. Do not deep dry. In the same pan, add sliced onion and saute it, until it starts changing its color,then add ginger, garlic paste & crushed green chili and saute until raw smell goes away.  Now add turmeric, red chili, garam masala,  chopped cilantro & mint leaves, salt & mix well. Then add the fried  shrimp and allow it get cooked on low flame until thick  gravy is formed.

Now take a baking dish, grease with some ghee, spread a layer of rice in the bottom and then shrimp gravy on the top, followed by fried onion. Repeat layering rice, gravy and fried onion. Finally garnish with fried onions, raisins and cashew nuts. Sprinkle saffron color and cover it with an aluminum foil. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees and bake this for 10 minutes.

Yummy biriyani is ready to server........ Serve with raita and pickle