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There are certain meals that leave me ‘misty eyed’. I’ve always said: ‘A meal is never just about the food’. It is, and always has been, sustenance for the soul. I often think back to the smell of walking into my parents’ kitchen, and the embrace of Prawn Biryani.
My mother’s meals were unencumbered by the distraction of culinary perfection; she cooked because she felt really good about doing it. Cooking was always her doorway to connection, and for someone who was vegetarian from birth, being able to cook meat and seafood, perfectly, was also so powerful to me. Prawn biryani, like any other biryani, invariably seems to taste better the next day.
Serves 8
PRAWN MARINADE
1 kg Mozambican queen prawns, deveined
¼ cup salad cream
¼ cup plain yoghurt1 tsp red chilli paste
1 tsp green chilli paste1
Tbsp crushed garlic
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp chilli powder½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
RICE
2 bay leaves1 x 5-cm length cinnamon stick
1 star anise
5 whole cloves
5 bruised green cardamom pods
1 cup boiling water
5 cups water
2 tsp salt
2 cups basmati rice, soaked, then rinsed 3 times
GRAVY/CHUTNEY BASE
100 g butter½ cup ghee mixed with ½ cup sunflower oil1 large onion, sliced
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 tsp crushed garlic
3 fresh green chillies, slit down the centre
1½ cups grated tomato1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder1 Tbsp tandoori fish spice
1 tsp salt2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint (optional)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander (optional)
3–4 sprigs fresh thyme
MARINADE
1 Place the prawns in a glass bowl. Mix all the marinade ingredients and rub all over the prawns. Leave to marinate for 2–3 hours, covered, in the fridge.
RICE
1. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and cardamom pods to the 1 cup boiling water and allow to infuse for 1 hour.
2. Bring the 5 cups water to a boil in a pot over high heat.
3. Pour in the infused water and spices, and allow to boil for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the salt and rice, and cook until the rice softens but is still firm to the touch.
5. Drain and set aside.
GRAVY/CHUTNEY BASE
6. Add the butter to a pot over high heat.
7. When the butter begins to brown slightly, add all the prawns and fry for 3–5 minutes, turning regularly. Transfer the prawns to an oven tray and set aside, leaving the liquid in the pot.
8. Add the ghee and oil mixture to the liquid in the pot.
9. Bring to a medium heat, then add the sliced onion and allow to brown gently.
10. Remove half the onion and set aside for garnish.
11. Add the curry leaves, garlic and fresh green chillies to the remaining onion in the pot and stir well.
12. Cook for a few minutes, but do not let it burn.
13. Add the tomato, coriander powder, cumin powder and tandoori fish spice.
14. Add the salt and continue to cook for 15 minutes until the gravy thickens.
15. Remove half the gravy, reserving it in a bowl for the prawns.
16. Gently spoon the cooked rice over the gravy in the pot.
17. Cover the pot with a lid and allow the rice to steam on the stovetop for 15–20 minutes.
18. Set the oven to grill and chargrill the prawns on the oven tray for 10 minutes.
19. When the prawns are cooked, immediately toss them in the reserved gravy, then place gently on top of the rice in the pot.
20. Top with the reserved fried onion, chopped fresh mint and coriander (if using), and thyme sprigs, then drizzle with any leftovers juices from the oven tray and gravy bowl.
NOTE: Do not steam the prawns with the rice as they will become rubbery.
