Biriyani is a delicious dish made by cooking fragrant basmati rice with poultry, fish, prawns, meat or vegetables adding yogurt, spices and lots of love. My simple version of prawn biriyani is so easy and takes minutes to prepare. Everyone always gets intimidated by biriyani, but seriously I find it the easiest dish and love impressing my guests with this luxurious dish.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

(a)

• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp garlic paste

• 1 tbsp ginger paste

• 1 tsp green chilli paste

• 3 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 3 cloves whole

• 3 cardamom whole

• 3 cinnamon sticks

• 1/4 tsp cayenne

• 1/2 tsp cumin ground

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 15 saffron threads

(b)

• 3 potatoes cubed (1/4 inch)

• 1/4 cup sunflower

• 1 chopped onion

• 1 roma chopped

• 1 1/2 cups fried onions

• 1/2 tsp garam masala

(c)

• 1.5 Lb raw prawns deveined & shelled washed and dried.

Directions:

1. Divide mixture (a) into half and marinate prawns in the mixture and refrigerate covered for half an hour

2. In a dutch oven or deep roasting pan, add leftover mixture (a) and mixture (b) with potatoes and cook covered on medium high for 30 minutes or till potatoes are cooked through (checking often so mixture does not burn)

3. Stir in marinated prawns and cook according to size of prawns. (small -medium prawns 3-4 mins, large prawns 5-8 minutes, jumbo prawns 8-9 minutes or till they turn pink.

Enjoy on saffron basmati rice as pictured. (Recipe below)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice

• 4 cups water

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp butter

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil

• 1 tsp cumin whole

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 2 tbsp garlic paste

• 14 saffron threads

• 1/2 cup fried onions

Directions:

1. Wash and rinse the basmati rice till the water is clear.

2. In a medium sized pot, add rice and 4 cups water and soak for about 10 minutes.

3. Add salt and boil rice till almost done (15 minutes). Remove rice into a colander and rinse out extra water. Add 1/4 cup fresh water and cover on minimum till fluffy.

4. In a wok or deep frying pan, heat 1/2 tbsp butter and 1 1/2 tbsp sunflower oil. Add 1/2 tsp cumin whole, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 1/4 cup fried onions and 7 saffron threads. Sautee for a minute and add half the cooked rice and stir fry all ingredients till rice is yellow in colur and all spices are mixed in . Remove rice onto serving platter and repeat process again with remaining ingredients.

Serve with a layer of biriyani sauce on top. Enjoy!