Prawn Biryani

Now - I know before I write this - that this may not be an authentic biryani - that everyone will have a particular family favourite way of making biryani, and that your mother would not make it like this etc etc.....

This recipe is another of Mira's - and makes a really flavourful biryani - and it is pretty straightforward - so its a winner!

I made it with king prawns - these could easily be substituted for chicken. The chillis are added to taste - I use 3 in my recipe - which gives a good level of heat with every mouthful.

Serves 4

1 large onion, sliced
50g cashew nuts (or more)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cinammon stick
3 cloves
1 tbsp cumin seeds
pinch saffron
300g basmati rice
800 ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
3 chillis - sliced
350g king prawns (frozen) or chicken
300g peas (frozen)

1 Heat the oil and temper the cinammon stick, cloves and cumin seeds until they begin to pop
2 Add the onions and continue to cook on a high heat - you want the onions to take on quite a bit of colour. Cook until they are going brown
3 Add the cashews and cook for a minute
4 Add the prawns, garlic, ginger, tumeric and chillis.
5 Cook for 5 minutes - until the prawns (if raw - or chicken - if using) are almost cooked.
6 Add the rice, stir to coat in the oil and spices
7 Add the stock (the measurement should be twice as much stock to dry rice)
8 Add the saffron, additional salt if needed, cover, and cook until the water has gone.
9 Rest for a few minutes, and serve.