Always use best quality rice for any biriani. The success of a biriani depends on it.

Basmati rice - 2 cups
Ghee - 100 gm
Bay leaves - 4
Large minced onions - 4
Shelled prawn - 2 cups
Large tomatoes, chopped - 2
Cooked peas - 1 cup
Beaten curd - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
A handful of Coriander leaves
Mint leaves - 10
Powder together
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Grind together
Dry red chillies - 6
Ginger - 2.5 cm
Cloves garlic - 8

Boil rice in enough water till 3/4 done. Strain and spread on a tray.

Heat the ghee in a degchi. Season with bay leaves. When they change colour, add minced onion and fry till brown, add the powdered and ground masalas and salt. Fry on medium heat till oil surfaces.

Add prawns, tomatoes and peas. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add curd, sugar, garam masala, mint and coriander leaves and 1 cup of hot water. Mix well, cover and cook for 4 minutes.

Spread the rice over the prawn masala. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Now, place a tawa underneath the degchi and cook for 20 minutes or till the rice is fully done. Mix with a very light hand.

Serve with a salad.

(Son – In – Law’s Special)
Ingredients
Green coconut – 1
Shelled and dressed prawns – 1 cup
Basmati rice – 1/2 cup
Pineapple juice – 1 cup
Ginger green chilli paste – 1 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tbsp
A handful of chopped fresh coriander
Salt – to taste
Lime juice – 1 tsp
Pinch turmeric
Worcestershire sauce – 1 tbsp.

Method:
See to it that the green coconut has some tender meat in it. Cut a portion of the top of the coconut. Reserve the cut portion. Cut a slice from the bottom to enable the coconut to stand straight. The coconut seller will prepare it for you.
Pick and wash the rice and soak for 15 minutes. Add 1 cup of water to the pineapple juice and cook the rice in it till almost done. There may be some moisture still left.
Mix the rest of the ingredients with the rice and fill in the coconut. Do not pack too tightly. Join the top potion of the coconut and fix with atta dough.
Bake in a 200 degree C / 400 degree F oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, break the top open and take the rice mixture along with some of the coconut meat. Serve hot.

Ingredients
rice – 500 gm
chicken or meat stock – 1 lt
West Indian Sauce:
peeled prawns – 1 cup
lime juice – 1
butter – 50 gm
onion chopped – 1
tomatoes, blanched and chooped – 2 small
chopped parsley – 2 tbsp
cloves of garlic, finely chopped – 2
Salt and pepper to taste
stock – 1 cup
eggs – 2
vinegar – 1 tbsp
Mince:
minced mutton, cooked – 200 gm
onion chopped – 1
cooked vegetable mixture – 1 cup
like green peas, carrot mushroom, cauliflower
lime juice – 1 tbsp
chopped parsley – 2 tsp
capsico sauce – 1/2 tsp
Pinch of grated nutmeg,
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash the rice and cook in a rice cooker till done and the moisture absorbed.
Sauce:
Heat the butter in a saucepan. Fry the onion, tomato, parsley and garlic until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the prawns and cook uncovered till done. Beat the eggs and vinegar together and add to the sauce. Stir constantly over a low heat for 2 minutes.
Mince:
Blend all ingredients alongwith the sauce.
Grease a loaf tin; line with half the rice, well packed into the corners. Pile the mince filling and finish with the rest of the rice.
Cover with buttered foil or greaseproof paper. Bake in oven preheated to 400 degree F / 200 degree C for 40-45 minutes.
Turn out with care, let cool a little and serve sliced. Garnish with grilled tomato slices.

Ingredients
basmati rice – 2 cups
ghee – 75gm
bay leaves – 2
minced onions – 4 large
shelled prawn – 2 cups
tomatoes, chopped – 2 large
cooked peas – 1 cup
beaten curd – 1 cup
sugar – 1 tsp
garam masala powder – 1 tsp
salt to taste
A handful of coriander leaves
10 mint leaves
Powder together:
turmeric – 1/2 tsp
cuminseeds – 1 tsp
coriander seeds – 2 tsp
Grind together:
6 dry red chillies
ginger – 2.5cm
cloves garlic – 8

Method:
Boil rice in enough water till 3/4 done. Strain and spread on a tray.
Heat the ghee in a degchi. Season with bay leaves. When they change colour, add minced onion and fry till brown, add the powdered and ground masalas and salt. Fry on medium heat till oil surfaces.
Add prawns, tomatoes and peas. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add curd, sugar, garam masala, mint and coriander leaves and 1 cup of hot water. Mix well, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Spread the rice over the prawn masala. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Now, place a tawa underneath the degchi and cook for 20 minutes or till the rice is fully done. Mix with a very light hand.

Ingredients
300 gms. prawns, shelled and deveined
jeera or basmati rice cooked with – 250 gms. 1 tbs. salt.
1/2 cup oil
1 large onion, sliced
garlic ginger paste – 1 tsp.
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
2 green chillies, slit
chilli powder – 2 tsp
turmeric powder 1./2 tsp.
salt – 2 tsp.
1/2 cup coconut milk from 1/2 coconut
1/4 cup curds
coriander leaves, chopped – 1 tbs.
garam mas ala powder – 1 tsp.

Method:
1. Cook rice with 3/4 tsp. salt till 3/4 done. Drain the water and keep aside.
2. Heat 3 tbs. oil in the pressure cooker.
3. Add sliced onions, fry well for 2 minutes.
4. Add garlic ginger paste. Fry for 1 minute.
5. Add chopped tomatoes & fry for 2 minutes till soft.
6. Then add the green chillies & chilli powde and fry well.
7. Then add turmeric powder. Add the prawns salt.
8. Cook for 3 minutes, then add the coconut milk and curds and simmer for 2 minutes.
9. Then mix the rice with the prawns.
10. Cover with a lid and leave the rice mixture on high flame for 2 minutes, then on low flame 10 minutes.
11. Open the pressure cooker, garnish w coriander leaves and garaiu masala powder. Mix well.
12. Put off the stove and let it remain for 5 minutes, then serve.

PALANNA
Ingredients:
basmati rice – 11/2 cups
saffron threads – 1/4 tsp
hot milk – 1 tbsp
water – 3 cups
salt – 2 tsp
nutmeg powder – 2 tbsp
sugar – 2 tbsp
groundnut oil – 1/2 cup
almond slivers – 1/4 cup
raisins – 3 tbsp
cashewnut bits – 1/4 cup
paneer cubes – 200 gm
cooked green peas – 1/4 cup
shelled and deveined prawns – 11/2 cups
grated coconut (optional) – 2 tbsp
ghee – 1/4 cup
fennel seeds – 1 tsp
shahjeera – 1 tbsp
piece of cinnamon – 2.5 cm
green cardamoms – 6
cloves – 6
garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
powdered mace – 1/4 tsp
green cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
freshly crushed pepper – 1 tsp
chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

?Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Drain. Soak the saffron in the milk.
?Boil the water, salt, saffron milk, nutmeg and sugar. Cover when it comes to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Keep covered.
?Heat the groundnut oil in a Karahi, fry the almonds, raisins, cashewnuts and paneer cubes, one by one, lightly and remove. Fry the prawns till they change colour to a deep orange.
?Heat half the ghee in a degchi. Add the rice and saute for 3-4 minutes or till the rice turns opaque. Add the hot, flavoured water and stir. Reduce heat and cover once it comes to a boil.
?Cook without stirring for 15-20 minutes till the water is absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy. You may put a tawa underneath the degchi during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove.
?Heat the remaining ghee in a heavy pan over moderate heat. Season with the fennel seeds, shajeera, whole garam masalas. When they change colour, add the peas, paneer, nuts, raisins, prawn and grated coconut, if using. Saute 1 minute. Mix the garam masala powder, powdered mace, cardamom powder, pepper and chilli powder. Remove from heat.
?Carefully combine the cooked rice with the fried ingredients. Serve hot.

BHUNI KHICHURI
Ingredients:
basmati rice – 250 cm
mung dal – 125 gm
coconut, a pinch of saffron – 1
lime – 1
prawns – 400 gm
ghee – 100 gm
whole garam masala – 1 tbsp
large onions finely sliced – 2
ginger paste – 1 tsp
chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
nutmeg grated – 1/4
turmeric – 1/2 tsp
salt – to taste

Grind together:
coriander leaves – 1/2 cup
cloves of garlic – 3
green chillies – 2

Method:
?Cook rice with three fourths done. Strain and keep aside. Roast the dal in a karahi. As soon as it starts to pick up brown spots, add hot water, a little turmeric and salt. Cook till done but the dal should retain its shape. Strain and keep aside.
?Grate the coconut and extract 1 cup milk. Soak the saffron in the lime juice. Shell and devein the prawns.
?Heat the ghee in a frying pan. Season with the whole garam masala. Add the onion and fry till brown. Add the ginger paste, turmeric, chilli powder, nutmeg powder, ground paste and stir fry for a minute. Add the prawns and salt. Stir and add 1/2 cup of water. Cook till the prawns are done.
?Grease a heavy bottomed degchi. Layer half the rice, half the prawns and half the dal, one on top of the other. Repeat with the remaining halves. Sprinkle the coconut milk and saffron lime juice mix. Cover tightly and seal with atta dough and put on dum for 15 minutes.
?Shake well before breaking the seal. Mix well. It should have a pulao like consistency, but its okay if a few grains break. The khichdi should be well mixed.

?Variation: Bite sized pieces of chicken or mutton or minced meat may be used the same way.

Ingredients
Prawns???- 1/2 kilo
Onions???- 3
Green chillies??- 8
Ginger???- 1 Inch piece
Garlic????- 15 small pods
Somph???- 2 Teaspoon
Cinnamon???- 1/2 Inch piece 2
Cloves???- 6
Ghee????- 200 gms
Turmeric powder??- 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut???- 1
Pulao rice???- 1/2 kilo
Cashewnuts???- 50 gms (25)
Pudhina (mint leaves)?- 1 Large bunch
Bay leaves???- 2
Cardamom???- 3
Salt????- To taste

Method
Wash and clean prawns well. Mix with the turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon salt and boil for 10 minutes till well cooked remove and keep.
Fry green chilies in 2 teaspoons of ghee. Then grind and keep.
Crush, ginger, garlic, somph, cinnamon and cloves, using a little water and keep aside.
Grate the coconut, extract milk to make up 1 litre of coconut milk keep aside.
Clean pudhina (mint) take the leaves and keep.
Heat a heavy bottom vessel, put the ghee, then the cinnamon leaves and cardamom, then put the cashewnuts, fry till golden brown in colour.
Then add cut onions. Fry the onions for a while add ground green chillies, fry and then add the crushed masala. Fry well, add the coconut milk, salt and turmeric powder. Cover and let it boil.
When the mixture is boiling, add well cleaned pulao rice. Cover and cook till rice is half cooked.
Then add cooked prawns, cook on low fire and keep the vessel covered with a little hot charcoal on top.
Keep stirring slowly from time to time till the pulao is done.