Shrimp Biriyani

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lb -Shrimp
4 big -Thinly sliced onion
2 or 3 no -Diced tomatoes
6-10(or to taste) -Green chillies
1 big piece -Ginger or aprox-1 tbsp crushed ginger
10 pods -Garlic or aprox- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
2 tsp-Garam masala powder
1 tsp -Turmeric powder
1 tsp -Coriander powder
½ cup-Plain yogurt
6 or 10 nos -Cashews (optional)
1 tsp -Poppy seeds(optional)
½ cup -Chopped cilantro
½ cup -Chopped mint
½ cup-Lemon Juice ( Lemon juice of 2 lemon)
To taste -Salt
1 tbsp -Oil


Seasoning

1 -Thinly sliced onion
A few -Cashews
A few -Raisins
One or two drops-Food color (red) Optional
½ tsp -Pineapple essence (diluted with 1 tbsp of water)

Method

1. Soak the cashews and poppy seeds in a bowl of water for at least 2 hours. Make a smooth paste.
2. Add ginger, garlic and green chillies into a food processor. Grind (one pulse) to make a coarse paste.
3. Heat ghee or oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add sliced onions and saute until its transparent.
4. Then add ginger, garlic and green chilly mixture. Saute until the aroma comes out.

5. Add Coriander powder and turmeric powder. Saute for another 5 minutes. Add tomatoes & stir well.

6. Now add cashews and poppy seeds paste, salt, lemon juice, yogurt, mint and cilantro. Cook on medium low heat for another 20 minutes till the masala get cooked and everything comes together.
7. Check and add salt if needed. Now you can add the shrimp and garam masala. Let the shrimp cook in the gravy for another 15 minutes.

Your masala is ready. This will now be used for layering your biriyani.



For the rice

3 cups -Basmati rice
1tbsp -Lime juice
2 tbsp -Ghee or oil
½ tsp -Garam masala (optional)
To taste -Salt

Method
1. Boil 6 cups of water. Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Stir rice into the pan and saute on low flame until the rice turns opaque. Add salt and boiling water and stir well. Let the whole rice mix come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cover it. Cook until the rice is almost done.

Layering the Biriyani -

1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. In a ovenproof pan spread a little of the cooked masala paste over it.
2. Then spread the cooked rice over the shrimp. Sprinkle pineapple essence and food color over it.

3. Add a little bit of fried onions, cashew and raisins.
4. Continue layering until you are done with the masala paste & the rice.
5. Cover the pan with aluminium foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

6. Serve hot with any curry or raita of your choice!

Tips

You can also follow "Ghee rice preparation" to make this rice. Make sure to avoid vegetables.