How to make Prawn Pulao that is so quick and easy. This recipe is so flavourful with a perfect blend of spices.
Pulaos are basically rice dishes made with a variation. This spicy Prawn Pulao Recipe is a one-pot meal complete with proteins, carbs, and fiber. Add a bowl of raita and some roasted papads and you will have a sumptuous meal.
In India, we make pulao with almost anything, vegetables, meat, seafood, lentils, and so on… It is comfort food for us and moreover very quick to make. You can have it for your lunch or dinner at home or just pack some for your office lunch. It makes a complete meal with a bowl of salad.
Table of Contents
How to make Prawn Pulao?
For this recipe, you will need 450 grams of prawns (about 30 medium-sized prawns). Clean, wash, and devein the prawns. Add salt and turmeric and marinate the prawns for at least 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, add 2 cups of water to the prawns and boil for 2 – 3 minutes only. Now drain the prawns and reserve the stock for the rice. By following this method your pulao rice absorbs the wonderful flavour of the stock. Moreover, after 2 to 3 minutes the prawns are almost cooked.
Thereafter, heat 3 tbsp oil/ghee in a vessel. Add only 1 bay leaf and 1/4 tsp peppercorns and saute. Then add one sliced onion, 1 slit green chilly, and fry till the onion turns light brown in colour. After the onion turns brown, add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute. Chop one tomato and fry until the tomato turns soft.
If you want the pulao to be spicy add 1 tbsp chilly powder. Reduce the chilly powder if you prefer it to be less spicy. Now add 1 tbsp coriander powder, and 1/2 tbsp garam masala powder or pepper powder and continue to fry till oil oozes out.
Adding rice to make the Pulao
Wash and drain 1.5 cups of rice and add to the fried spices and fry the rice for a minute or two. I prefer to use short grain Basmati rice or kolam rice to make this prawn pulao.
After frying the rice for 2 minutes, add 3 cups of water, including the reserved prawn stock. You will have 2 cups of prawn stock and will need to add 1 more cup of water. A ratio of 2:1 water to rice works perfectly well for making pulao. Subsequently, add the boiled prawns and also one tablespoon of ghee. Also, adjust salt as per requirement.
When the liquid comes to a rolling boil, cover the vessel with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the flame to low. Put some weight on the lid to avoid steam seeping out. Cook the rice on a low flame for approximately 5 – 6 minutes only. Then switch off the flame and let the rice rest for at least 15 minutes.
Now open the lid after 15 minutes and fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish the Prawn Pulao with mint and coriander leaves or only mint leaves. But do not skip the mint leaves as this gives a wonderful aroma to the prawn pulao.
Serve with raita, Coriander Mint Chutney, and papads.
How to make Prawn Pulao – watch here
Printable Recipe
How to make Prawn Pulao
Ingredients
- 450 grams Cleaned, washed and deveined prawns
- 1½ cups Rice
- 3 tbsp Oil/ghee
- 1 Bay leaf
- ½ tsp Peppercorns
- 1 medium Onion, sliced
- 1 Green chilly, slit
- 1 medium Tomato, chopped
- 1 tbsp Ghee/clarified butter
- 1 tbsp Red Chilly powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder for marinating the prawns
- ½ tbsp Garam masala powder
- Mint & Coriander leaves for garnish
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add salt and turmeric powder to the prawns and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Now add 2 cups of water to the prawns and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the stock and reserve for using in the pulao.
How to make Prawn Pulao
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a vessel and add bay leaf and peppercorns. Saute for 30 secs.
- Now add 1 sliced onion and fry until the onion turns light brown.
- Add ginger/garlic paste and fry for a minute.
- Also, add 1 tomato and fry till the tomato softens.
- Subsequently add chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder and fry until oil oozes out.
- Add the washed and drained rice and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir gently.
- Now add 3 cups liquid (2 cups stock and 1 cup water) , adjust salt and let the water come to a boil.
- Cover the vessel and reduce the flame to low and let the rice cook on low flame for 5 to 6 minutes. After 6 minutes switch off the flame and keep the rice covered for at least 15 minutes.
- Now open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with mint leaves.
- Serve prawn pulao with salad or raita.
Notes
- For every cup of rice add 2 cups of liquid for making perfect pulao.
- Use Basmati or any rice you prefer.
If you like my recipe please share it on Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram @flavoursofmykitchen #flavoursofmykitchen2019.
Please leave your comments and also give the recipe your star ratings. You can also get in touch with me at flavoursofmykitchen2019@gmail.com.
For the recipe, and updates please subscribe to our Newsletter and also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Seems an easy and tasty recipe. Would love to try it out. But nowhere have ypu mentioned at which point the boiled prawns should be added .
Hi, You will need to add the prawns after you add the stock and rice. It’s mentioned in the post, maybe you missed it. BTW thank you for visiting flavours of my kitchen.