A lighter biryani with less oil, plenty of flavour and a good protein base.
Ingredients — 2 servings
- Prawns – as required
- Basmati rice – as required
- Thick dahi – ½ cup
- Onion – 1 medium, thinly sliced
- Tomato – 1 small, chopped
- Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
- Green chilli – 1, optional
- Turmeric – ½ tsp
- Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
- Coriander powder – 1 tsp
- Biryani masala – 1 tsp
- Garam masala – ½ tsp
- Cumin – ½ tsp
- Mint + coriander – handful
- Lemon juice – 1 tsp
- Oil – 1–2 tsp
- Salt – as required
- Water – as required
👩🍳 Advanced Prep
1. Marinate the prawns
Mix prawns with dahi, turmeric, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and salt. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
2. Prepare the rice
Cook basmati rice until about 80% done. Drain and keep aside.
3. Make the masala
Heat oil, add cumin and onion. Cook until lightly golden. Add tomato, green chilli, coriander powder and biryani masala. Cook until the tomato softens.
4. Add prawns
Add marinated prawns and cook for just 3–5 minutes. Don’t overcook them or they can become rubbery.
5. Layer
Add a layer of rice over the prawn masala. Top with mint, coriander and a pinch of garam masala.
6. Dum cook
Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 5–7 minutes. Rest for another 5 minutes before serving.
🥗 Make it more weight-loss friendly
Serve with cucumber-onion raita + a large vegetable salad rather than adding extra fried onions or ghee.
Meal-prep tip: Keep the rice and prawn masala separately if preparing in advance, then combine and reheat gently. This keeps the prawns much softer.