Shrimp Biryani
Shrimp Biryani
Ingredients
For the Biryani Masala Base
- 2 pounds jumbo shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
- 4 onions, large, sliced
- 1 cup oil, for frying onions
- 4 Roma tomatoes, medium, sliced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, freshly chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly chopped
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 5 tablespoons biryani masala
- 1 lemon, large, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4-6 green chilis, fresh
For the Rice
- 4 cups sela basmati rice, cooked (start with enough raw rice to yield 4 cups cooked)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated, or 1 small piece
- 1 tablespoon salt, as needed for boiling rice
For Garnish and Color
- 1/8 teaspoon orange food coloring
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- 1
Heat 1 cup of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the 4 large sliced onions. Fry the onions for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown, crispy, and crunchy. This step is crucial for flavor and texture.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Carefully remove the fried onions from the pan using a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Remove most of the oil from the pan, leaving approximately 2-3 tablespoons. Return half of the fried onions to the pan.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Add 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped garlic and 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped ginger to the pan with the onions. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Then, add 4 medium sliced Roma tomatoes and cook until they are soft and mushy, which should take about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 9 min
- 4
While the tomatoes are cooking, start boiling water in a separate large pot. Add salt (about 1 tablespoon or to taste) and the whole spices (cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom pods, black cardamom pods, and nutmeg) to the boiling water. Add the raw sela basmati rice and cook until it is about 80% done. This means the rice should be mostly cooked but still have a slight bite.
⏱️ 15 min
- 5
Once the tomatoes in the pan are mushy and soft, add 5 tablespoons of biryani masala. Let this cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine with the tomato mixture. Then, add 1/2 cup of yogurt and mix well until fully incorporated.
⏱️ 4 min
- 6
Add 2 pounds of raw jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined) to the masala mixture in the pan. Cook the shrimp until they turn pink, which should take about 4 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, as they will become rubbery and lose their volume.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Once the shrimp are cooked, add 1/2 cup of chopped fresh mint, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, 1 large sliced lemon, and 4-6 fresh green chilis to the pan. Gently stir to combine.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Carefully remove all the whole spices from the partially cooked rice using a strainer or by hand. Strain the rice thoroughly and then add it in an even layer over the shrimp masala mixture in the pan.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
In a small bowl, mix 1/8 teaspoon of orange food coloring with 1 tablespoon of water. Dash this colored water evenly over the rice. Sprinkle the remaining fried onions on top of the rice.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Cover the pan tightly with a lid. For a tighter seal, you can place a clean kitchen towel between the lid and the pan. Let the biryani simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking through steam.
⏱️ 15 min
- 11
Once simmered, uncover the biryani and gently mix it from the bottom up to combine all the layers of rice and shrimp masala. Serve immediately and enjoy, optionally with a side of dahi phulki.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Shrimp Biryani
For the Biryani Masala Base
- 2 pounds jumbo shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
- 4 onions, large, sliced
- 1 cup oil, for frying onions
- 4 Roma tomatoes, medium, sliced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, freshly chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly chopped
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 5 tablespoons biryani masala
- 1 lemon, large, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4-6 green chilis, fresh
For the Rice
- 4 cups sela basmati rice, cooked (start with enough raw rice to yield 4 cups cooked)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated, or 1 small piece
- 1 tablespoon salt, as needed for boiling rice
For Garnish and Color
- 1/8 teaspoon orange food coloring
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- 1
Heat 1 cup of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the 4 large sliced onions. Fry the onions for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown, crispy, and crunchy. This step is crucial for flavor and texture.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Carefully remove the fried onions from the pan using a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Remove most of the oil from the pan, leaving approximately 2-3 tablespoons. Return half of the fried onions to the pan.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Add 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped garlic and 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped ginger to the pan with the onions. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Then, add 4 medium sliced Roma tomatoes and cook until they are soft and mushy, which should take about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 9 min - 4
While the tomatoes are cooking, start boiling water in a separate large pot. Add salt (about 1 tablespoon or to taste) and the whole spices (cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom pods, black cardamom pods, and nutmeg) to the boiling water. Add the raw sela basmati rice and cook until it is about 80% done. This means the rice should be mostly cooked but still have a slight bite.
⏱️ 15 min - 5
Once the tomatoes in the pan are mushy and soft, add 5 tablespoons of biryani masala. Let this cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine with the tomato mixture. Then, add 1/2 cup of yogurt and mix well until fully incorporated.
⏱️ 4 min - 6
Add 2 pounds of raw jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined) to the masala mixture in the pan. Cook the shrimp until they turn pink, which should take about 4 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, as they will become rubbery and lose their volume.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Once the shrimp are cooked, add 1/2 cup of chopped fresh mint, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, 1 large sliced lemon, and 4-6 fresh green chilis to the pan. Gently stir to combine.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Carefully remove all the whole spices from the partially cooked rice using a strainer or by hand. Strain the rice thoroughly and then add it in an even layer over the shrimp masala mixture in the pan.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
In a small bowl, mix 1/8 teaspoon of orange food coloring with 1 tablespoon of water. Dash this colored water evenly over the rice. Sprinkle the remaining fried onions on top of the rice.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Cover the pan tightly with a lid. For a tighter seal, you can place a clean kitchen towel between the lid and the pan. Let the biryani simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking through steam.
⏱️ 15 min - 11
Once simmered, uncover the biryani and gently mix it from the bottom up to combine all the layers of rice and shrimp masala. Serve immediately and enjoy, optionally with a side of dahi phulki.
⏱️ 2 min