Chemmeen Biryani/Prawns Biryani

Ingredients:-
For Rice
Basmati Rice - 2 cup
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 3-4
Cardamom - 3
Salt to taste
Butter - 3 tsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Hot water - 4 cups
For Chemmeen/Prawn masala
Bowl 1
Prawns/Shrimp -1/2 kg
Chili powder - 1 tea spoon
Corinader powder - 1 tea spoon
Garam masala - 1/2 tea spoon
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt to taste
Bowl 2

Green chili - 3-4

Ginger - an inch piece

Garlic - 5-6 cloves

Oil/Butter - 2 tablespoon

Whole spices :-Mace - 1,Bay leaves - 1,Cloves - 3, Star anise crushed - 1

Onion thinly sliced - 2 cup

Tomato chopped - 1
Chili powder - 1 tea spoon
Corinader powder - 1 tea spoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Garam masala - 1.5 to 2 tea spoon
Crushed pepper corns - 1/2 to 1 tea spoon
Yogurt - 4 spoons
Mint and coriander leaves chopped - 2 cups( or use 2-3 table spoon store bought mint & cilantro chutney)
Thin coconut milk - 1/2 cup (optional)
For Garnishing
Onion finely chopped - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 2 tsp
raisins - 2 tsp


Cooking the rice

Soak the basmati rice for at least 15 minutes and drain well.

Heat 3 tsp of butter in a cooking vessel and add the whole spices- Cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves and cardamom and fry it for a minute

Add the basmati rice and fry it  for 3-4 minutes . Add 4  cups of water ( some rice needs 4 1/4 cup) , salt and lime juice and cook it covered till it is done.

Making masala

Marinate all in Bowl 1 and keep aside for 30 minutes

In a coffee grinder or small jar of blender crush all in Bowl 2

Heat Oil/butter in a pan and fry the marinated prawns for like 5-6minutes (optional step ). Drain 

Add the whole spices , mace, bay leaves and cloves, fry it for a minute.

Saute  chopped onion until they are soft and turn golden brown.Add the ginger-garlic and green chili paste an saute till the raw smell disappears , Followed by tomato and saute till the oil separates

Mix together the spices like chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala,turmeric powder, crushed peppercorns and fry it for 2 minutes.Slide in the marinated or the fried prawns and mix it well

Add yogurt , coconut milk( or you can add water 1/ 4 cup). Mint-coriander,mix well, cook covered until the prawns are cooked and the masala is dry.
Heat butter /oil in a pan and fry onions, raisins and cashew nuts separately until golden brown .Remove and drain on paper towels

Layering and serving 

Now take a baking dish , brush it with some butter / oil . Spread a layer of rice in the bottom and the masala on the top.Arrange complete  rice and the masala in layers..Garnish with fried onions, raisins and cashew nuts.Cover it with an aluminium foil .Preheat Oven to 350 degrees and bake this for 20-30

In a microwave , arrange it in the same way in a microwave safe dish and cook it for 10 minutes.

On stove top arrange it in a vessel , cover it with a lid and keep it on top of a heavy tawa and heat it for 10-15 minutes.Serve with raita and pickle

Note :- You can always substitute all the spice powders with 2 tablespoons of Store bought Biriyani Masala.