Prawn Pulao

I love recipes made with rice. It may be biryani, pulao, kheer/pudding or traditional rice recipes like pulihora. Among these pulao is one pot dish and very easy to prepare. Pulao is commonly prepared at homes and in functions. For cooking pulao, rice is cooked in broth. First, all the veggies and meat or sea food is fried and then water is add to them and cooked until a boil and then rice is added and cooked till done. We can also fry rice along with veggies and then water can be added.

Today's recipe is Prawn Pulao. Preparing anything with prawns is very easy. They cook fast and taste good. Prawns are my kids favorite. Mostly I used to prepare curry and sometimes biryani with prawns. But this time I want to prepare simple, easy and delicious prawn pulao. Within 30 minutes we can prepare and serve this tasty pulao. Adding coconut milk will add more flavor to pulao.

*Adjust spices to your taste. This recipe is medium spice.

Serves : 2 to 3
Ingredients:

• Prawns - 1/4 kg
• Basmathi Rice - 1.5 cups
• Water - 3 cups or Water - 2 cups and Coconut Milk - 1 cup (For cooking rice)
• Green Chillies - 3
• Onion - 1/2 piece
• Tomato - 1
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric - 1 tsp
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
• Red Chili Powder - 1
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Pudina/Mint - 4 Tbsp
• Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup
• Ghee - 3 Tbsp
• Oil - 2 Tbsp

Masala:

• Bay leaf - 2
• Cloves - 3
• Cardamon -3
• Star Anise - 1
• Mace - small flower
• Nutmeg - small piece
• Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp

For Marination:

• Ginger-garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
• Lemon juice - 3 tsp

Preparation:

• Clean and soak rice for 30 minutes. Marinate prawn with little salt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, lemon juice and garam masala.

• Heat oil in a pan, add all the ingredients under masala and fry for a minute. 
• Add chopped onion, green chilies and cook till onions are soft.
• Add prawn and cook till they are half done. (*see note)
• Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, chopped tomato and cook till it become soft.
• Add coriander powder, Cumin powder, red chili powder, coriander leaves, pudina/mint, ghee and rice. Mix well.

• Add water and coconut milk if using and cook till rice is done.
• Serve hot with raita and salan.

Note:

• We can also cook prawn separately. If want to cook separately, heat oil in a pan and cook prawn till all the water from prawns is evaporated and remove to a bowl.
• Add cooked prawns along with water.