JENCOOKS - INDIAN CUISINE, FREN'S PRAWN DUM BRIYANI BELLY GOOD

30th March 2009

PRAWN DUM BRIYANI BELLY GOOD

When a fren sms us inviting us for dinner at 8pm on Monday at her place, we knew that we have to go light for lunch or tea-break or risk short-changing ourselves if we are already half full that we will not be able to tuck in all and spoil ourselves over their yummilicious home-cooked Indian cuisine as much as we loved too, because their Prawn Dum Briyani is really really good, in the comforts of a cosy home somewhere near Kovan, north-eastern Singapore.


We were all seated by 8.15pm and the lavish meal starts. The banana leaves were cut round and placed over the plates and it looks authentic in a restaurant setting. When you have your first spoonful or handful as the Indian practised this art of eating with your fingers, you go like...ooh, this is so good. It's like first impression makes it or breaks it and this was already thumbs-up on the first taste. And then on your second or third mouthfuls, you will go... it's so yummilicous nice and fragrant and the goodness of the spices and the juices of the prawns are so well infused into the fluffy, fragrant long-grained Basmati Rice that it is a "killa" in taste, being so savoury and distinct in taste. I am hardly guilt-laden as it was not ghee-greasy at all and low fat milk was used. In this case, my fren EB.. did not cook the traditional way in a big pot over charcoal fire but simply did it "dum" style where rice is cooked with the meat in this case prawn in an oven, the modern way but it is simple in style and big in taste. I ended up with two and half plates and I gave it high on the scoreboard although I have not benchmarked this (or do I need to) with those served in restaurants because this is the first time I have tried Prawns Dum Briyani instead of the usual ubiquitous order of chicken or mutton briyani whenever I had a go for briyani or dums.

Sharing EB..'s receipe

Blended Ingredients
1 Two Large Onions
2 Three Tomatoes
3 1 Bundle of Coriander Leaves
4 6-7 Green Chillies (depending on how hot)
5 1.1/2 Tbs of Turmeric Powder
6 1 Tsp of Cumin Powder
7 Salt (taste)
8 2 Tbs Vinegar

Ingredients for Frying
1 Prawns
2 3 Tbs of Cooking Oil
3 A Pinch of Fenugreek Seeds
4 1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
5 1 Spray of Curry Leaves
6 1/2 Onion sliced finely

Start Frying the Ingredients
1 Heat Oil
2 Drop in Fenugreek and Mustard Seeds
3 When the seeds 'pop', add onions and curry leaves; fry
4 Add in the Blended ingredients (set aside and keep about 1 cup for the rice)
5 Add some prawn stock
6 When the gravy boils, add in the deveined prawns
7 Set the gravy aside to cool

Cook the Basmati Rice
1 In a Corning ware casserole add 5 Tbs oil
2 Fry cinnamon stick and cardamon pods
3 Add some slice onions
4 Add the cup of Blended ingredients
5 Add in some sliced ginger
6 Add Basmati Rice (washed about 1hr before and strained)
7 Add Prawn Stock and Low Fat Milk
8 Boil the Rice

Oven Cook the Dums Briyani
1 Remove Rice from Fire
2 Layer the prawns and rice in this manner Rice/Prawn/Rice/Prawn/Rice
3 Baked 20mins at 160degrees in an oven
4 Served with Cashew Nuts and Garnish with Coriander Leaves

Needless to say, the curry was also superb; I dont think it was that hot but it was amazingly flavourful when you spoon over and drench your briyani rice and it's a good combination. I couldnt stop as it continues to arouse my tastebuds, not fiery but the 'powerful' taste with both the wet and dry chicken curry lapped over the rice.


Both the wet and dry chicken curries did justice to the briyani as it complement the taste so well and the added bonus, the crunchy sweet small slices of pineapple and the serving of cabbage that goes with it makes it so appetising and when it is good, there is no "brake" and you just go on until you hear the "burp" sound, excuse me !!!!!


Thanks, that was a lovely meal, It's SO GOOD my BELLY Is Really FULL.

PRAWN DUM BRIYANI

I GO BELLY FULL WITH IT