Prawn Biryani - Mangalore Style

Prawn biryani is another of my favorite Rice dish. Last week and the weekend have been hectic, had made lots of cooking plans for Christmas which didnt quite materialize.
So made this simple prawn biryani today to celebrate Christmas.


Serves 3
Ingredients:
Prawns - 20
Basmati rice or any long grained rice - 1 cup
Onion (thinly chopped) - 1 ½ cup
Tomato (finely chopped) - ¾ cup
Ginger - 2” 
Garlic cloves - 8
Green chilly - 1
Turmeric powder - ¾ tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Aniseed/saunf - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick (small) - 1
Cloves - 3
Kesar/Safforn - a pinch
Garam masala powder - ¼ tsp
Mint leaves - ¼ cup 
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 4 tbsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Clean the prawns. Grind the ginger, garlic, green chily and aniseeds into a fine paste.
Take a heavy bottomed vessel or cooker, add oil and keep on low heat. Fry the cinnamon stick and cloves for a few seconds. Then add ginger garlic green chily aniseed paste and fry for a minute. Now add the mint leaves, coriander leaves, onion and tomato and fry well till onion is brown and tomato is soft . Add the prawns and fry it for a minute. Then add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala and fry for 30 seconds, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
If using cooker:
Add 1 ½ cups of water, salt, saffron and rice and stir it well.  Close the cooker with the lid and turn the flame to medium high.  Once you get the pressure, put the weight on the cooker and turn the flame to medium low and keep it for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, remove the cooker from the stove and keep it aside.
If using heavy bottomed vessel:
Add add 1 ½ cups of water, salt, saffron and rice and stir it well and cover and cook till rice well done. Keep checking from time to time.
After 10 minutes remove the lid and stir the rice well and serve it with raita.