Easy Prawns Pulao recipe which has a biryani flavor but is still a humble pulao. You could make this quickly when your are falling short on time or have sudden guest’s home. This dish is also great to pack as meal box or quick meal.

Talking about Pulao and Biryani I just had something to share. I come across so many recipes where a pulao is termed as Biryani. Just would like to clear a confusion here. Any rice dish which is just pressure cooked or cooked with everything mixed together has to be a pulao or a khichdi but definitely not a Biryani. Also they could be mushy but biryani always has to have separate grain of rice cooked evenly.
Biryanis are always cooked on a dum is stacked with rice and gravy layer. Also lot of spices, herbs, aromatic ingredients goes in making a biryani. Even a charcoal flavor or fragrance has to be must. It’s just the aroma which should describe all about Biryanis. I am not a ace but feel one should get the basic right before doing anything. Hope this clears the confusion between both.
Coming back to prawns they are so versatile. You could make a variety of dishes from prawns. Another important characteristic about prawns are they cook very quickly. So always add them towards the end process else they tend to get firm and taste rubbery.
This is my own version of prawns pulao which is quite Indian. No special ingredient’s required except the whole garam masala which is a must for this pulao. But in case you don’t get them just use a good brand of biryani garam masala instead. My rice dish always has a combo of whole spices along garam masala powder. Mostly use home-made garam masala powder or shaan biryani masala.
Also for this recipe I have used basmati rice but you could use any long grained rice or kolam or any rice. I prefer basmati as they don’t tend to get mushy.
Let’s make prawns pulao recipe stepwise:
1. Firstly marinate the prawns with little salt and place aside for 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile grind all the ingredients for the green paste until smooth.
3. Add little water if required.
4. Now add half of the green paste to the marinated prawns. Keep the rest reserved for later use.
5. Heat oil in cooker or pan. Shallow fry the potatoes until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and place the potatoes aside.
6. In the same vessel fry the onion julienne.
7. Add little salt and saute until they change color.
8. Now add butter and stir nicely.
9. Make small space in the center and add caraways seed, cashews and all the whole spices.
10. Saute until the color of onion changes to light brown.
11. It’s time to add the tomatoes.
12. Stir for 2 mins then add the rest of green paste.
13. Mix all nicely and add all the spice powder. If the mixture is sticking then add little water.
14. Put the fried potatoes back.
15. Add the marinated prawns.
16. Finally add rice and salt.
17. Mix well and cook until rice is cooked. You could cover with a lid and cook or pressure cook until 3 whistles. I don’t have a pic for this one.
Garnish your pulao with fried onion, coriander leaves and lime wedges. Serve your prawns pulao hot with salad.
Prawn Pulao recipe and printable version below:
- 1 cup coriander leaves chopped coarsely
- ½ cup mint leaves
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic or 6-7 garlic cloves
- 1-2 green chilies
- 2 tbsp fresh grated coconut
- 2 tbsp oil + ½ tbsp butter
- 250 gms medium to big sized prawns (de-shelled and de-veined)
- 1.5 cup of basmati rice
- 1 cup chopped potatoes or abt 1-2 small potatoes
- 2 cup onion julienne
- 12-14 cashew
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 4-5 cloves
- 7-8 peppercorn
- 1 black cardamom
- 3-4 green cardamom
- 2 stoneflower
- 2-3 nagkesar
- 1 tsp caraway seed
- 12- 14 cherry tomatoes or 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp garam masala powder
- 1 tbsp biryani garam masala powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 3 cups water or as required
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- salt as required
- ½ cup onion julienne shallow fried until golden brown in color
- some lime wedges
- some coriander leaves
- Firstly marinate the prawns with little salt and place aside for 10 mins.
- Meanwhile grind all the ingredients for the green paste until smooth.
- Add little water if required.
- Now add half of the green paste to the marinated prawns. Keep the rest reserved for later use.
- Heat oil in cooker or pan. Shallow fry the potatoes until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and place the potatoes aside.
- In the same vessel fry the onion julienne.
- Add little salt and saute until they change color.
- Now add butter and stir nicely.
- Make small space in the center and add caraways seed, cashews and all the whole spices.
- Saute until the color of onion changes to light brown.
- It's time to add the tomatoes.
- Stir for 2 mins then add the rest of green paste.
- Mix all nicely and add all the spice powder. If the mixture is sticking then add little water.
- Put the fried potatoes back.
- Add the marinated prawns.
- Finally add rice and salt.
- Mix well and cook until rice is cooked. You could cover with a lid and cook or pressure cook until 3 whistles. I don't have a pic for this one.
- Garnish your pulao with fried onion, coriander leaves and lime wedges. Serve your prawns pulao hot with salad.
valisa says
Hi maria,
How r u doing?
Tried this recipe last week nd it turn out very well. It was tasty. Also i tried this recipe using chicken nd tat was also super tasty. Thank you.
I want to knw how to make n preserve mango pulp nd strawberry pulp. Plz guide the same.
maria says
thankyou valisa glad you liked the prawns pulao 🙂 yeach chicken would also taste great. Just puree mango or strawberry respectively and freeze them into an air-tight container. Use them as and when you require just thaw before you want to use them. Hope this help’s you.
Pamela says
The Indian dishes that you make seem so authentic and they look so delicious. The photos are lovely.
I am a beginner and am learning Indian cooking. I really enjoy the fact that you use so many authentic and real spices. I really appreciate the step-by-step explanations and photos. Your dishes look so yummy! You explain the technique so well that I feel I could produce something close to the correct dish. At least I hope so!!
For example, some spices like nagkesar are new to me. As is stoneflower. But I prefer that you teach the authentic dishes rather than to edit them and change them for non-Indians. I prefer the authentic ones. But, I would hope that you would show a photo of the spices, the whole spices, for us non-Indians, so can we get a more correct idea about them.
Thank you for this wonderful blog.
maria says
Thankyou Pamela for removing the time to share your views to me. I am pleased to know this 🙂 do keep trying I am sure you would be an ace cook soon. Surely would write a post on whole spices along the pic meanwhile you check these links for teppal spice and cardamom spice.