Konkani Prawn Rice

A couple of weeks ago I scattered some sabut dhaniya seeds in an empty planter and kept it out on a patch of sunlight in my balcony and it just sprouted into the nicest greenest freshest dhaniya ever......

So then I started thinking about how I could use my fresh coriander and this rice pulao is one of my most favorite things to cook and eat its like comfort food!

KONKANI PRAWN RICE 

Serves 2 
For pulao -
1 1/2 cups Basmati rice
1/2 cup green peas
2 large onions, finely chopped
a pinch of turmeric
30 medium size shrimp
salt to taste
lemon juice
oil
For masala -
1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2-3 green chillies
1" piece of cinnamon
1 black cardamom
2-3 cloves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds 
2-3 peppercorns
1 small bunch of cilantro 
10-12 mint leaves (OPTIONAL)

To garnish -
finely chopped cilantro and fresh grated coconut






Directions :

Wash, peel and devein shrimp. Sprinkle salt and lemon juice over top and keep aside.

 Grind all ingredients for masala into a fine paste using very little water.


Cook rice till 3/4th done  , be careful to not break the grains. Keep aside.

In a vessel  sauce pan heat about 3 tablespoons of oil. Add onion and saute till it turns reddish brown. Add the ground masala and saute till it loses its moisture. Next add shrimp and stir for about 2 minutes.Add peas  and turmeric and season to taste .Make sure everything is cooked and the prawns have turned white and beautiful.

Now add rice , mix well. Then lower heat, cover and cook until the  water that remained in the rice  has evaporated and the rice is fully cooked , this should not take very long about 5-7 minutes , since the rice was almost cooked from before.


 Garnish with chopped fresh dhaniya leaves  and  fresh grated coconut . Serve Hot .