Prawn or Shrimp Pulao

Prawns pulao is a one pot delicious meal. It is one of our favourite prawn preparations, favorite not only in my home but also at both my sisters homes and a hit with all the kids and adults. This is my sister's recipe, and I have eaten this at her home innumerable times. My sister is an excellent cook, she can make the most mundane foods like daal and khichdi into delicacies. This is one such gem from her repertoire.

Recipe credit: Ms. Anita Arakal

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1 and 1/2 cup
2. Prawns - 1 cup
3. Cloves - 4 nos
4. Cardamom - 4 nos
5. Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
6. Peppercorn - 10 nos
7. Bay leaves - 2 nos
8. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
9. Fennel seeds/ saunf - 1 tsp
10. Green chillies - 2 nos *
11. Kashmiri chilly powder - 2 tsp*
12. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
13. Coriander pwd - 1 tbsp
14. Onions - 3 nos (medium)
15. Tomatoes - 3 nos (medium)
16. Coriander leaves - for garnish
17. Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
18. Salt - to taste
19. Oil - as required
20. Water - double the measure of rice

** Always use chillies as per your spice tolerance.

Method:

1. Shell, de-vein and wash the prawns. In a bowl put the prawns, add the soya sauce, and a pinch of turmeric. Mix well and let it marinate till your other ingredients are being prepared.
2. Chop onions, tomatoes and chillies and keep them separately aside.
3. In a pan, heat oil, add the whole garam masala (whole spices) from serial number 3 to 9 under the list of ingredients. Let it fry well for about a minute or two.
4. Add onions and fry well. When the onions are translucent, add green chillies and the marinated prawns, and fry well for two to three minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, salt, chilly powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well and let it come to a boil.
6. Now add the water, bring it to a boil and then add the washed rice. When it comes to a boil, lower the flame, put a tight lid on the pan and let it cook for 10 minutes or till the rice is almost done. Just before you switch off the flame , you may add the coriander leaves for garnish.
7. Put the lid back on and after a minute switch off the flame. Don not open the lid for another 15 minutes as the cooking process continues.
8. Serve after 15 minutes.

Notes:
You can also make the same preparation in a pressure cooker. After adding the rice, you can cook it for three whistles. This preparation comes out more soft and wet.