Prawn biryani, Eral Biryani Recipe

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Recipe for home style prawn biryani / eral biryani இறால் பிரியாணி. Easy tamil style biryani recipe. Recipe with step by step pictures. இறால் பிரியாணி செய்வது எப்படி?

Prawn is one of my sons favorites. Me and my son get our share of shell fish when my husband is travelling as the husband is heavily allergic to shell fish. I try to avoid cooking prawns when he is home. This is a very simple home style prawn biryani recipe that can be done in no time. I have shared two methods of making this prawn biryani. The regular Tamil style method of making prawn biryani in a pressure cooker and also making the prawn biryani in an oven. The oven method is fool proof and the prawn biryani comes fluffy and fantastic every single time. This prawn biryani recipe is perfect for beginners.

Click the link below to find more varieties of recipes using prawns.
Recipes on the site using Prawn as the main ingredient

Here are some of the equipment, utensils and gadgets that will be useful for making this Prawn Biryani recipe. Click the link to buy them online.
Coconut Shell Bowls
Polypropylene Chopping Board
Teakwood Chopping Board
Silicone Spatula
Glass Mixing Bowls (500 ml)
Prestige 3.5 Ltr Stainless Steel Cooker
Carbon Steel Knife
Measuring Spoons
Slotted Deep Fry Spatula

Here is the step by step video of how to do Prawn Biryani இறால் பிரியாணி.

Here is the step by step pictures of how to do Prawn Biryani இறால் பிரியாணி.
Lets marinate the prawns first for making Prawn Biryani.
Clean and devein the prawns and add it to a bowl. Add in the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and vinegar. Mix well and let the prawns marinate for 20 minutes. I have used plain vinegar for making prawn biryani recipe today. Apple cider vinegar also works well for prawn biryani.
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Just before starting to cook, wash and soak the basmati rice in water. Aged basmati rice works well for making Prawn Biryani. Brands like Lal Qila, Daawat is what I use at home.
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Heat coconut oil in a pressure cooker. I prefer coconut oil for this Prawn Biryani recipe. If you do not like the flavor of coconut oil, use peanut oil or any vegetable oil. Add in the marinated prawns to the oil.
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Do not add any water. Let the prawns cook in its own juices. Remove the prawns after 3-4 minutes and set aside on a bowl.
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In the same oil used for frying prawns, add in the onions. By frying in the same oil, the prawn flavor penetrates well. The oil has a really good aroma and makes the Prawn Biryani so flavorful.
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Add in the salt and saute for 2-3 minutes till the onions are soft.
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Add in the crushed ginger-garlic-green chillies. You can also grind the ginger-garlic-green chilli mixture in mixie and it works well in this Prawn Biryani recipe. Saute for 3-4 minutes till the onions are nicely brown.
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Add in the tomatoes, mint leaves, coriander leaves and the curd. The curd gives a slight tang to the Prawn Biryani.
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Add in the garam masala powder. Usually for Prawn Biryani, whole spices are added. But I like to add garam masala powder instead of whole spices as this Prawn Biryani is one of my sons fav dishes and he hates when he gets whole spices in the mouth. Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer for about 10 minutes on a medium flame till the tomatoes are cooked and mushy.
Note: Instead of garam masala, you can also use biryani masala powder for making this prawn biryani.
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After 10 minutes, you would notice that the oil is separated and the masalas are well cooked.
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Add back the prawns and butter. You can use ghee if you do not have butter. Butter adds a nice richness to the Prawn Biryani.
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Add in the hot water. The rice-water ratio I have used is 1 rice:1.5 water. I have used 1 cup of rice today. I have used 1.5 cups of water.
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Drain the soaked rice and add it to the cooker.
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Mix well. Check for seasoning at this stage and add more salt if necessary.
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Cover the cooker and cook the prawn biryani for exactly two whistles on medium flame. (About 7-8 minutes). Remove the cooker from heat and wait for the pressure from the cooker to settle. Open the cooker and gently mix the biryani to fluff up.
Note: Cooking the prawn biryani in the oven method.
If you want to cook the biryani in the oven, after adding rice to the pan, let it come to a rolling boil. Once it comes to a boil, cover the pan with a lid and place it in a 200C / 390F preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and let it rest on counter top for 15 minutes. Then, serve hot. Important : The water ratio for cooking in oven method is 1 rice : 2 water. Use two cups water for every cup rice used if cooking by oven method.

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Tasty prawn biryani is ready. Serve hot.
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prawn-biryani-eral-biriyani-recipe

Prawn biryani Eral Biryani Recipe

Recipe for home style prawn biryani / eral biryani இறால் பிரியாணி. Easy tamil style biryani recipe. Recipe with step by step pictures.

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 3 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For marinating the prawns for prawn biryani

  • 250 grams prawns, cleaned and deveined
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon plain vinegar

Other Ingredients for prawn biryani

  • 1 cup Basmati rice (240 ml)
  • 4 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 cup onions, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 inch piece ginger
  • 2 green chillies
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 6 sprigs mint leaves, chopped
  • 6 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup plain curd / yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 2 teaspoon butter

Instructions

  1. Clean and devein the prawns and add it to a bowl. Add in the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and vinegar. Mix well and let the prawns marinate for 20 minutes.
  2. Just before starting to cook, wash and soak the basmati rice in water. Aged basmati rice works well.
  3. Heat coconut oil in a pressure cooker. Add in the marinated prawns. Do not add any water. Let the prawns cook in its own juices. Remove the prawns after 3-4 minutes and set aside on a bowl.
  4. In the same oil used for frying prawns, add in the onions. Add in the salt and saute for 2-3 minutes till the onions are soft. Add in the crushed ginger-garlic-green chillies. Saute for 3-4 minutes till the onions are nicely brown.
  5. Add in the tomatoes, mint leaves, coriander leaves and the curd.
  6. Add in the garam masala powder. Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer for about 10 minutes on a medium flame till the tomatoes are cooked and mushy.
  7. After 10 minutes, you would notice that the oil is seperated and the masalas are well cooked.
  8. Add back the prawns and butter. You can use ghee if you do not have butter.
  9. Add in the hot water. The rice-water ratio I have used is 1 rice:1.5 water.
  10. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the cooker. Mix well.
  11. Cover the cooker and cook for exactly two whistles on medium flame. (About 7-8 minutes). Remove the cooker from heat and wait for the pressure from the cooker to settle.
  12. Tasty prawn biryani is ready. Serve hot.
  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Cuisine: Tamilnadu

44 thoughts on “Prawn biryani, Eral Biryani Recipe”

  1. Best biryani recipe. So easy to make! I’ve used this recipe to make shrimp, chicken and mushroom biryani. All of them come out soo well! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe here!






  2. It’s comes out delicious😋. My husband and children loved it. Awesome method, Thank you mam😇






  3. Hi Suguna,
    I was hesitating to add coconut oil for biriyani, but went ahead and used it. I’m glad I tied and the biriyani turned out to be Amazing! Thanks a lot for the recipe 🙂






  4. 5 star recipe! Highly recommend.

    I’ve cooked this Biryani dish a few times now as it quickly became our family’s favorite. Today i even found some Indian music on YouTube for us to listen to while we were having our dinner, so we had a mini dinner vacation to India in our own dining room in Canada 🙂

    I used a frying pan with a lid as I don’t have a pressure cooker: 15 min at low heat, then let it rest for a few more min while i was making a salad. Otherwise I followed the recipe to a “t”.






  5. I stumbled upon your Chettinaad Prawn Masala recipe and have become a fan since then. Love all your recipes, thank you for sharing them with us. <3






  6. Dear chechi,
    I tried this biryani but with jeerekasemba rice. Also I made dum biryani rather than cooking the rice in broth. (I was scared the rice will get soggy hence the dum method). It was the best biryani ever and too good. My husband is such a picky eater but even he was surprised with the taste. I didn’t know that we can pull off such a super biryani this easy…thankyou so much for the recipe and happy cooking!






  7. Jeswin Davidson Ebenezer

    You are my guru sister!! I am modifying this recipe and making a chicken biryani instead!! I am sure it will turn out great!! Thanks!!

      1. Jeswin Davidson Ebenezer

        I did use this recipe for Chicken Biryani, Turned out great… changes I made are – used cinnnamon/cardomom/cloves instead of garam masala powder, and doubled the green chillies.. Thanks for this!!

  8. Haritha Yalamanchili

    Prepared this for 15 people. Huge hit!!! Delicious with savory taste. Thank you for your amazing recipes.






  9. Absolutely awesome. These days it has become my routine to visit your website to learn new and yummy recipes. Keep rocking.






  10. Paneer instead of eral..
    ‘Nuff said.

    But seriously, keeping everything else the same, just saute the paneer separately and add it to the briyani after rice is cooked in pressure cooker.






  11. This is an amazing recipe. I was eagerly waiting to attempt this after Ms. Suguna posted it this week.
    It was my first attempt of any biryani ever and it came out perfect. Everything in the recipe add to amazing flavor. I used Xacuti instead of garam masala. I used it more in combination of fish related recipes. If you are using instant pot, you could steam for 8 minutes instead of 2 whistles. I used instant pot entirely for saute and then steaming the rice with prawns.
    Many many thanks to Ms. Suguna for sharing this amazing recipe and look forward to many more.
    Wish you the very best. Thank you.






  12. Looks yummy 😋 is there any alternative to vinegar? Can we use lemon instead of vinegar?

  13. Karunya Chandrasekar

    Is there any alternative for curd/yogurt in prawn biriyani?can we do without curd?

  14. Baskar Pandiaraj

    Was waiting for a menu to try this weekend. Got one now. Thanks Suguna for all the awesome recipes.






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