Rice Dishes Recipes - Prawn Pulao Rice Recipe

Ingredients

• 45ml/3 tbsp ghee

• 5ml/1 tsp cumin seeds

• 4 cloves

• 4 black peppercorns

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 cardamom pod

• 1.5cm/1 in cinnamon stick

• 2.5cm/1/2 tsp garam masala

• salt

• 500ml/17 fl oz water

Prawns (shrimp)

• 60ml/4 tbsp oil

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 3 large cloves garlic, crushed

• 5ml/1 tsp ground coriander (cilantro)

• 5ml/1 tsp ground roasted cumin

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp ground red chili

• 2/5ml/1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 225g/8 oz canned tomatoes

• 150ml/1/4 pt natural (plain) yoghurt

• 50g/2 oz desiccated (shredded) coconut

• salt

• 250g/9 oz large peeled prawns (shrimp)

Garnish

• 15ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

• 5ml/1 tsp garam masala

• 1 small green chili, chopped

• 45ml/3 tbsp milk

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Method:

1. Heat the ghee in a heavy-based pan and fry the cumin seeds until lightly browned. Add the whole spices and rice and stir for 2 minutes until the mixture no longer sticks to the pan. Add the garam masala, salt and water, bring to the boil then reduce the heat to minimum, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the prawns. Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until golden brown. Add the ground spices, tomatoes, yoghurt, coconut and salt to taste and stir over a low heat for 2 minutes. Add the prawns and cook over a medium heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the oil appears on the surface. Don't stir the mixture too often or the prawns will become mushy. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with garnish ingredients.

3. Arrange the cooked rice and prawns in layers in a large heavy-based pan. Pour in the milk and heat gently for 3 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Before serving, place a serving dish on the saucepan and carefully turn them over. Tap a little with a spoon on the  pan and gently lift it off, leaving the pulao in the  serving dish. Serve hot with raita, bitter gourd, aubergine, moong beans and chapatis.