I was always in awe of the special occation dishes such as Shrimp Biryani. So I never really tried making them myself since I could get any number of the great cooks from my family and friends to make it for me when I felt like eating it. When I met my husband and I knew he was the one, I figured I better learn as he loves biryani. Shrimp Biryani is the first type of biryani that I have ever cooked in my life. I actually got my elder sister’s recipe and made some modification. Here it is modification and all!

Shrimp Biryani!

Shrimp Ingredients:
2 lbs medium to large size Shrimps
2-3 Bay Leaves
1-2 Cardamom (green and small)
1/4 inch piece of Cinnamon
1 Black Cardamom
1 cup Onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Paprika or Chili powder
1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1/4 tsp Ginger paste
1/4 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Coriander powder
1/8 tsp Mace (powder or flakes)
1/8 tsp Nutmeg powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Yogurt
100 ml of Coconut milk
Oil
Green chili
1 tsp Lime juice
1/2 tsp Sugar

In a large frying pan, heat oil and add bay leaves, cardamoms, cinnamon, black cardamom and cook until fragrant. Add onions and saute until it starts to turn golden. Add garlic and ginger pastes. cook for another minute and add turmeric, paprika, coriander, cumin, mace, nutmeg one at a time. Cook for another minute and then add a little water and cook the spice mixture until the water evaporates and oil separates. Mix the yogurt and coconut milk. Add salt. Bring to a boil and cook for a few more minutes until the liquid reduces slightly. Add the shrimps and a little water if there isn’t enough gravy to incorporate it with the rice. The shrimps will be cooked in about 5 to 10 minutes. Do not over cook the shrimps. Just before taking off the heat, add lime juice, sugar and green chilies. Set aside while rice is being cooked.

Rice Ingredients:
4 cups of Basmati Rice, washed and drained well
1/2 tsp Caraway Seeds
3-4 tbsp Oil or Ghee or a combo of the two
1/4 tsp Ginger paste
1/4 tsp Garlic paste
200 ml Coconut milk
Salt to taste
Few drops of kewra essence
Crispy fried onions
Hot water

In a pot, heat oil. In the heated oil, add caraway seeds, ginger paste and garlic paste. Cook them for about 30 seconds or less ensuring that they don’t burn. Add rice and saute the rice for about 5 minutes. Then add coconut milk and enough hot water to cook the rice. Once the rice is sauteed, you can transfer it to a rice cook if you wish.

Once the rice is cooked, add kewra essence and fried onions along with mixing in the shrimp prepared in the earlier step. You may not need all of the gravy from the shrimp, therefore, add a little at a time. The gravy should just lightly coat all of the rice. Cover and let it sit for a few minutes for the kewra essence to permeate your rice. Now your biryani is ready to be served!