Prawns Biryani (Chemmeen Biryani)

Ingredients for Prawns Biryani (Chemmeen Biryani):

1. Kaima (Jeerakasala) rice – 1 kg

2. Water – Double quantity of rice

    Salt – For taste

3. Oil – As needed

4. Onions – 1 kg, chopped

    Cashews, raisins – 50 gm each

5. Ginger crushed – 1 big spoon

    Green chillies crushed – 10

    Tomato chopped – ½ kg

    Coriander leaves – A little

6. Turmeric powder – 1 small spoon

    Masala powder – 1 small spoon

    Curd – ½ cup

    Lemon juice – From 1 lemon

    Salt – For taste

7. Cleaned prawns – 1 kg

8. Coconut scrapped – 2 big spoons

    Cashews – 5

9. Pineapple chopped fine – 2 big spoons

How to prepare Prawns Biryani (Chemmeen Biryani)?

1. Wash rice and strain water completely.

2. Boil water adding salt and cook rice. Strain excess water.

3. Heat oil in a pan and fry 1 cup onions, cashews and raisins separately.

4. Saute the remaining onions, followed by ingredients by 5.

5. Add ingredients no: 6, mix well and add prawns.

6. When prawns are well cooked, make a fine paste of coconut and soaked cashews and add to prawns.

7. Take a big vessel and spread prawns masala as first layer.

8. Spread half quantity of cooked rice as next later.

9. Spread fried onions, cashews, raisins and pine apple pieces.

10. Again spread the remaining rice and next layer and sprinkle half small spoon of masala powder on top.

11. Close with a tight lid and dum the biryani.

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine June 1-14, 2018

Prawns Biryani (Recipe 2)

Ingredients for Prawns Biryani (Recipe 2):

1. Prawn – 1 kg 

2. Green chilli – 100 g 

    Ginger – 50 g 

    Garlic – 150 g 

3. Coconut Oil – As required 

4. Onion – 800 g, sliced lengthwise 

5. Tomato – 1 kg, chopped 

6. Black pepper powder – 2 tsp 

    Chilli powder – 1 tsp 

    Turmeric powder – ½ tsp 

    Coriander powder – 1 tsp 

    Salt – As required 

7. Lemon juice – From 1 lemon 

    Coriander leaves, Mint leaves – 1 handful each 

8. Kaima rice – 1 kg 

9. Coconut Oil – As required 

10. Cinnamon – 3 pieces 

      Clove – 4 

     Cardamom – 2 

     Fennel – ½ tsp 

11. Carrot – 1 medium, finely chopped 

12. Ghee – 2 tbsp 

13. Onion – 1, sliced lengthwise 

14. Cashew nuts – 100 g, chopped 

     Raisins – 50 g 

     Curry leaves – 2 sprigs 

15. Tomato – 1, sliced round 

     Coriander leaves, Mint leaves – 1 handful each, chopped 

     Pineapple, chopped – 1 cup 

     Garam masala powder – 1 tsp 

How to prepare Prawns Biryani (Recipe 2)?

1. Clean and devein the prawns. 

2. Crush the second set of ingredients and keep aside. 

3. Heat coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, sauté onion until soft, then add the crushed mixture and sauté. 

4. Add tomatoes and sauté well. After that, add the sixth set of ingredients, sauté, then add prawns and the seventh set of ingredients. Cook well. 

5. To prepare the biryani rice, measure and wash the rice thoroughly, then soak it. 

6. Boil water in a quantity double that of the rice. 

7. Heat coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, fry the tenth set of ingredients, then add the rice and roast it. Pour in hot water, add salt, and cook the rice. 

8. When the rice is three-fourths cooked, add the carrots and let it cook until the water evaporates. 

9. Heat ghee, fry onions until golden brown and crispy, then remove. In the same Ghee, fry cashew nuts, raisins, and curry leaves. 

10. In the dum vessel, spread all the prawn masala evenly, then layer the cooked rice on top. 

11. On top, sprinkle the fried mixture and the fifteenth set of ingredients. 

12. Layer the remaining rice and ingredients, seal the lid, and cook on dum for 10 minutes. 

13. Serve hot with salad and pickle. 

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine, March 15-28, 2025

Read a few more biryani recipes here. Click on the images in the gallery to read.