This flavorful Shrimp Biryani is made with spicy shrimp or prawns layered with fragrant basmati rice and fried onions. With this tried-and-tested recipe, learn how to make the most flavorful restaurant-style shrimp biryani.

Prawns biryani in a white plate, garnished with cilantro

If you’re craving biryani but don’t have too much time, then you must make this shrimp biryani. It’s an easy recipe that you can make in about an hour.

This recipe is a simplified version of the popular Hyderabad prawns biryani. I use basic spices rather than a special biryani masala in this recipe.

Love biryani? You must try my chicken biryani, mutton biryani and egg biryani.

About Shrimp Biryani
Ingredients You’ll need
How to Buy Shrimp?
How to Make Shrimp Biryani?
Recipe Tips
More Rice Recipes You’ll Love
Shrimp Biryani (Prawn Biryani) Recipe

About Shrimp Biryani

Shrimp Biryani, also called Prawn Biryani or jhinga biryani, is a popular Indian rice dish. It’s made with layers of seasoned rice and shrimp, cooked with fragrant spices like cloves and cardamom that make it smell amazing. Fried onions and saffron add a touch of sweetness, and fresh mint and cilantro on top make it extra pretty.

This biryani is more than just food—it’s a way to celebrate special occasions in India! Enjoy this with a side of cooling raita or tangy pickle for a complete and satisfying meal.

Shrimp biryani in an old plate, garnished with cilantro and lemon slices on the side

Ingredients You’ll need

For the Shrimp Marinade:

Shrimp: They are the stars of the recipe! Make sure they’re nice and fresh. Use large deveined shrimp. I used shrimp with the tail removed, but you can use shrimp with the tail on if you prefer. Frozen shrimp works well, too. Make sure to thaw it well and pat dry to avoid extra liquid.
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder: This adds a vibrant color and mild heat.
Turmeric powder: It gives the shrimp a beautiful golden hue and adds a warm, earthy flavor to the marinade.
Salt: It is essential for seasoning the shrimp and bringing out their natural flavors.
Lime or lemon juice: It gives a tangy kick and helps to balance the marinade flavors.

Saffron:

Warm Milk: Use to infuse saffron threads.
Saffron: It adds a vibrant color and distinctive flavor.

Parboiled Rice:

Basmati Rice: I like to cook biryani using premium extra long-grain basmati rice. You can use other varieties of rice, such as sella or jeera samba.
Water: Used for boiling the rice.
Salt: Add salt to the water to season the rice as it cooks.
Whole spices: You’ll need bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, star anise, and cinnamon.

Prawns Masala:

Ghee and Oil: Adds richness and a buttery flavor.
Yellow Onion: They add sweetness and texture to the biryani.
Spices: You’ll need cumin seeds, coriander powder, and homemade garam masala.
Ginger and Garlic: Adds a bold and aromatic flavor to the marinade, enhancing overall taste.
Tomato: Adds a bit of tang and freshness.
Yogurt: It adds a hint of acidity.

Biryani:

Mint and Cilantro leaves: To garnish
Birista / Fried onions: These crispy onions add a delightful crunch. This is the most tedious part of the recipe. You can fry and store the onions ahead of time in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can substitute with store-bought onions or shallots if you like. Be sure to get gluten-free ones, not mixed with other ingredients, before frying.
Ghee: Adds a rich flavor.

How to Buy Shrimp?

This recipe can be made with shrimp or prawns. When buying shrimp, look for ones that are fresh and firm. Avoid shrimp that are discolored or have a slimy texture.

I like to use large or extra-large shrimp when making this biryani. You can use fresh or frozen shrimp. Shrimp with tail or no tail, both can work well in this recipe.

How to Make Shrimp Biryani?

Marinate Shrimp

Pat dry the shrimp to avoid excess liquids

Add the shrimp to a bowl. Pat the shrimp dry to avoid excess liquids.
Then, add all Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, salt and lime juice. Mix well to coat the shrimp evenly with the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Saffron

Soak the saffron strands in warm milk. Set aside for 10 minutes to let the saffron infuse the milk with its color and flavor.

Fry Onions

You can make fried onions at home or use store-bought fried onions, also called birista. Thinly slice the onions. In a pan or kadhai, bring the oil to medium-high heat. Add the onions to the hot oil and cook them, stirring occasionally, until they reach a deep golden brown color.

scooping out fried onions using strainer

Don’t rush! Look for a slow caramelization to develop sweetness without burning. If you have more onions, fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

spread out fried onions to make them crispy

Parboiled Rice

In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil.
To the boiling water, add salt and whole spices (bay leaves, green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick).

Add the soaked and drained basmati rice to the pot.
Cook the rice for about 5-6 minutes until it is about 70% done. The rice should still have a slight bite.

Drain the rice immediately and set it aside.

Shrimp Masala

Heat oil and ghee in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds.

Add thinly sliced onions and fry them for about 15 minutes until they turn golden brown. Be careful not to burn them, as this will give a bitter taste.

Add chopped tomatoes, coriander powder, and garam masala. Stir well and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften.

Stir in the yogurt until it is well mixed into the masala.

Add the marinated shrimp to the pan and cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Once the shrimp are partially cooked, turn off the heat.

Layer and Cook Biryani

Spread half of the fried onions on top of the shrimp. Then, spread half of the chopped mint and cilantro leaves on top of the shrimp.

Shrimp biryani in a pan garnished with cilantro

Now, layer the parboiled rice evenly on top. Using a spatula, flat the surface. Then, drizzle the ghee and saffron milk all over the rice.

Spread the remaining fried onions and mint/cilantro leaves on top (leave some fried onions and cilantro leaves or garnish).

Shrimp Biryani garnished with fried onions

Cover with a tight lid and cook on the lowest flame for 15 minutes. You can also wrap a kitchen towel on the lid to get that tight-fitting lid to keep the steam inside while cooking the biryani. This process is called “dum, “basically cooking on low heat. (See notes)

Remove from heat and let the biryani rest for 5-10 minutes. Dig deep to get all the layers with the yellow rice, white rice, and shrimp in one scoop when serving. Garnish with fried onions and cilantro leaves. Serve with raita and salad!

Shrimp biryani in a white plate, garnish with cilantro and salad on the side

Recipe Tips

Shrimp: Use large or extra-large shrimp. If using frozen, pat dry to avoid excess the marinade becoming watery.
Spice Level: Like it spicier? Add more red chili powder to the marinade.
Marinade: Some people add crushed fried onions to the marinade. For this, I prefer using store-bought fried onions, which can be easily crushed. Add 2-3 tablespoons along with the other marinade ingredients.
Basmati Rice: I like to use premium extra long-grain basmati rice to cook biryani.
Cooking Biryani: If you don’t have a heavy bottom pan, then place a tawa or griddle below the pan with biryani. This helps to diffuse the heat and ensures the bottom layer of biryani is not overcooked or burnt. You will need to turn up the heat to medium.
Storing leftovers: You can store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This biryani will also freeze well. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then heat in the microwave.