Prawns Biryani

Nowadays making Biryani for my family isn't much time consuming. I actually find it very easy than making rice, curry and side-dish. Prawns is my little ones favorite and so made prawns biryani for dinner on her b'day. You just need raita and pickle and just relish it on.

Start off with making rice and prawns masala mixture simultaneously and will in turn be easier to set together.

How to make ghee rice:

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Cloves - 2 nos
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Bay leaf - 1
Cardamon - 2 nos
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Boiling water - 2 cups

• Better to use a wide frying pan to cook the rice.
• Pour ghee to hot pan.
• Add cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and cardamom to the ghee and fry for few seconds. 
• Meanwhile boil 2 cups of water in a sauce pan.
• Add the basmati rice and fry for 5 minutes in medium flame.
• Pour boiling water to the rice. Add salt and mix just once. DO NOT STIR in between.
• Place lid and set timer for 15 minutes. Let rice get cooked in medium low flame.
• After 15 minutes, switch off the flame and take off the lid. Cover the pan with kitchen towel  for the steam to get absorbed in the towel.
• Fluffy rice will be ready.

How to make prawns masala:

Prawns - 1 cup, To marinate - add ½ tsp chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder and salt, mix well
Onions - 3 , finely sliced
Green chilly - 2, slit lengthwise
Ginger - ½ tbsp,finely chopped
Garlic - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Tomato - 2 no, finley sliced
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - ½ tbsp
Garam masala - ½ tbsp
Sour cream - ½ cup (optional). Can substitute yogurt
Salt

• Slightly fry the marinated prawns in coconut oil and set aside
• Heat oil in a pan. Saute the onions and slit green chilly. Once it's sauteed, add ginger garlic and fry till the raw smell is off.
• Add the powders and fry for 2 minutes until nice aroma of the fried powders arise.
• Add slices tomatoes and saute till it's soft 
• Add sour cream and fried prawns. Let it boil for few minutes for the flavors to sweep thru
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

To set the biryani:

• Switch on the pan with prawns masala on a very low flame.
• Just top the cooked basmati rice over the prawns masala. 
• Sprinkle garam masala and chopped corinader leaves.
• Drizzle a teaspoon of ghee over the set rice.
• Cover with lid and let it sit on low flame for 15 minutes. 

Prawns in Creamy Sauce

I tried to make Prawns with a cream base. It tastes good. After all, who doesn't like prawns and that too when soaked in creamy cream.

Recipe Source: My own

Ingredients:

Prawns - 1/2 kg (peeled and de-veined)
Onions - 2 nos (sliced)
Green Chilli - 2 nos (slit lengthwise)
Ginger - 1 tbsp (cut in julienne)
Garlic - 3 cloves (cut in julienne)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Cloves -  3 nos
Cinnamon stick - 2 nos (1 inch piece)
Bay leaf - 1
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp
Red hot chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Cumin Powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Water - 1 cup
Thickened cream - 1 cup
Oil
Salt

Instructions:

• Pour oil to the hot pan. Add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and roast for a minute.
• Add onions, slit green chill and sauté till translucent.
• Add ginger, garlic and sauté till raw smell goes off.
• Add turmeric powder, kashmiri chilli powder, red hot chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and fennel powder and roast for few minutes.
• Now add chopped tomatoes and sauté till it turns soft.
• Add prawns, salt and fry for few minutes.
• Pour a cup of water, cover and cook the prawns.
• When prawns is almost cooked, add cream and let it boil.
• Pour water if needed if you like to have more gravy.

Note:

• I marinated the prawns overnight with turmeric, kashmiri chilli powder and salt.
• Substitute cream with coconut milk if not a cream fan :)

Crab Tomato fry

We both love crabs. However we prefer this spicy tomato fry than crab masala curry. You need a lot patience and time to take the meat out from it's shell. Enjoy the crab fry with plain rice. Adjust the spices according to your taste.

Recipe Source: My Maa..

Ingredients:

Crab - 3 nos
Onion - 2 nos (sliced)
Ginger - 1 tsp
Garlic - 1 and half tsp
Tomato - 2 nos (sliced)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Instructions:

• Clean and cut the crab.

• Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onions and sauté till transparent.
• Add grated ginger and garlic and sauté till the raw smell goes.
• Now add turmeric, chilli and coriander powder and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
• Add tomato slices and sauté till it is mushy.
• Add crab, salt and curry leaves. Cover and cook until it is cooked.
• Once cooked, heat it on high flame to thicken the gravy.
• For Kerala touch, I drizzle coconut oil before switching off the flame :)