“Masala Prawn Potato Khichidi” served with Cucumber Onion Boondi Raita … small pleasures of life lies in enjoying delicious meals to heart’s content … this a very tasty and aromatic khichidi recipe that has been treasured for over 4 decades in my home, though it is more frequently prepared in vegetarian style … this time I tweaked it and prepared with addition of prawns, rice- masoor dal, masala and it was a scrumptious Sunday meal … Yummilicious ….
** Old cookery books are a treasure by themselves and though I had them in plenty until a year back, unfortunately, I had to dispose most of them as it was physically not possible to be maintained any more. However, I have treasured those that are the best in my opinion, which can be relied upon for good old recipes. "Dalda Cookery Book" is one book that is dear to me among a few others. I have already written about it in detail before in Masala Khichdi recipe shared to which I am sharing a common link at the bottom of this recipe, you may browse through the same if interested.
** I do realize that I must put in more efforts to prepare and share recipes from my treasured books and those which I have written in my decades old diaries too. Somehow, the list never seems to end and I am always in cross ends for want of time. Once again special thanks to Dalda Cook Book for this lovely, delicious recipe. I have just made a few changes in the recipe, from both original and my previous one. I have prepared this with a combination of lentils, rice, prawns, potatoes and spiced it with masalas and I was really awesome, fish lovers do try this one and enjoy with family.
** Here is my Recipe for “Masala Prawn Potato Khichidi” … Do try it out, tastes aromatic and awesome when served with raita ….
** Ingredients :
Jeera Rice or Basmati Rice or any Kollam Rice : 2 cups
Masoor Dal/ Split Red Lentils : ¾ cup
Prawns/ Sungata : 20-25 large sized
Potato/ Batato/ Aloo : 2 medium sized
Vinegar/ Sirka : 1 tsp
Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : 1+1 medium sized.
Ginger/ Alle’/ Adrak : 1 inch piece
Garlic/ Losun / Lehsun : 6-8 Cloves
Green Chillies/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 6-8 spicy ones
Cumin Seeds/Jeera Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds/Kothimbir/ Dhania Powder : 1 tblsp
Badisep/Fennel Seeds/Saunf Powder : 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder : 2 tsp
Garam Masala/ God Masala Powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric/Haldi Powder : ¼ tsp
Coriander Leaves/Dhania/ Kottambari Pallo : 1+ 1/4 cup finely chopped
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 10-12 fresh ones.
Ghee/ Toop : 2 tblsp
Oil/Tel/ Tela : 1 cup (any edible)
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste (as required)
** Wash and soak basmati rice in plenty of water for 30 minutes. Drain off the water, add to it the masoor dal and rinse well under running water and keep it aside in colander to drain off excess water for about 15-20 minutes.
** Note : There is no need to soak masoor dal, just rinse it later on along with soaked rice is more than enough.
** Remove the head and outer thick skin portion of the prawns. Remove the inner vein portion and carefully wash well in plenty of water until cleaned well. You can use easily available cleaned frozen ones too.
** Note : Prawns should be cleaned well, especially the inner vein part. You may check out from anybody who known to do so, if new to it.
** Drain off all water from prawns, pat it dry, add in a bowl with a little bit of chilly powder, haldi powder, vinegar, little salt, mix well, keep it aside for 30 minutes to marinate. You can add any other masala of your choice, however I keep it minimum.
** Peel potato and cut them into 2 inch sized cubes. Wash them and keep them ready aside soaked in water to avoid being discolored.
** Peel off the skin of onions and slice ½ onion thinly lengthwise and finely chop the remaining 1.5 and keep them separately aside.
** Pick, clean, wash and chop the coriander leaves finely. Keep aside about ¼ cup for garnishing later on and add the remaining one cup into a mixer grinder. Add in cleaned and chopped ginger, green chillies and skinned peeled garlic, all chopped to pieces and grind to a coarse paste without adding water as shown in picture. Remove and keep this ready aside.
** Add 2 tblsp of oil into a pressure cooker pan, when hot add in the drained jeera rice+ masoor dal and fry well on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add salt to taste, 4.5 cups of boiling water, mix well and bring to a boil on high heat.
** Lower the heat to minimum, cover the pressure cooker with lid, cook on medium heat to 3-4 whistles back to back and then keep it aside for the pressure to fall on its own. When cooled open the lid and allow to cool for 5 minutes before preparing khichidi.
** Heat oil (1 cup) in a thick bottomed large kadai (please use a large pan enough to hold full preparation of khichdi) when hot add thinly sliced onion and fry till crisp and golden brown. Drain, remove it, and keep it aside in a plate.
** Now drain, pat dry and then add the potato pieces in same oil and fry till they are 80% done. Remove and keep this aside along with fried onions. (there should be no traces of water in potato while frying to avoid oil bursting or splattering, so be careful)
** Now add the marinated prawns again into the same oil and fry till almost done. This hardly takes time, say about 3-4 minutes. Drain and keep it aside along with the fried onion and potato aside to be added on later.
** Now into the same oil add the finely chopped onion and fry till it turns lightly colored, add curry leaves, fry for a second. Add ginger- garlic- green chilly- coriander paste and further fry for another few minutes, till the rawness of the same goes and you get a good aroma. Finally add add all powders (haldi+ chilly+ dhania+ jeera+ badisep+ garam masala), mix well and fry for a few seconds carefully to avoid it getting burnt.
** Note : If you find that the masala is getting burnt/ stuck to kadai after adding the powder, you can sprinkle some water and continue frying.
** Mix all ingredients and fry for at least 2-3 minutes on slow to medium heat. Add fried onion keeping aside a little bit for garnishing, potatoes, prawns and mix well. Finally add 2 cups of boiling water, salt to taste and bring to a boil.
** Note : Be CAREFUL with addition of SALT as we have added a little bit to prawns and rice- masoor while cooking. Nothing can be done when salt is added in excess, so keep in mind the amount needed for the final khichidi and add accordingly.
** When it come to a boil, lower the heat, add 1 tblsp of the ghee, cooked jeera- masoor dal and mix well. Cover with a tight flat lid, place a vessel with water in it on top of the lid, and let khichidi cook on minimum heat till soft and done.
** Remember to stir in between for the khichidi to get evenly cooked without getting stuck to the bottom of kadai. Lastly, garnish with fried onions kept aside, coriander leaves and the remaining 1 tblsp of ghee. Cover and keep it aside for the flavors to be infused for atleast 20 minutes and it is ready
** “Masala Prawn Potato Khichidi” is done and ready to be served. This khichidi tastes best when served hot with plain curds or any raita of your choice. We had this for lunch served with simple “Cucumber Onion Boondi Raita/ Salad” and it was an excellent combo which hubby and me enjoy to our heart’s content. Do try it out and enjoy with your family and friends, with any accompaniment of your families choice.
** Do try out this delicious khichidi, It’s one of the best fish masala khichidi recipe that’s sure to be loved by one and all in your family especially those who love fish dishes. This is a one pot meal sort of dish that really does not need any accompaniment to be served along with, except a little bit of curds or raita to get along with. It has enough spices included and a complete meal in itself. You can add on some bajias/ fritters to make it that much more appealing to friends or relative coming out for lunch/dinner.
** Note : I have added on a picture collage that includes ingredients and a few steps procedure final clicks. I hope it is helpful in grasping of the recipe that I have made my best to write out in details for foolproof of cooking method. In case you have any query do drop in a comment and I will get back as soon as possible. Thank you.
** Note : While cooking SPICED MASALA RICE DISHES always cover the degchi/ kadai/ pan with a flat well fitting lid and keep a vessel with about half a liter of water in it on top of the flat lid. This helps the rice cook soft without being burnt at the bottom and also helps in keeping the steam within the kadai intact and not allowing it to escape there by allowing the khichidi to get soft cooked. (sort of dum procedure).
** Note: Always check out once in between the cooking process and give a light-handed mix for even cooking in case of masala khichdi as there are chances of masala settling and water getting floated. Also, keep half a cup of extra boiling water ready to be added on if required, as khichdi unlike pulav/ biryani is soft in texture.
** For the “Cucumber Onion Boondi Raita/ Salad” recipe, please follow the link shared below ….
** Sharing a few common links below to “Khichidi”, “Pulav”, “Biryani”, “Raita” and “Salad” recipes which also includes the link to original “Masala Khichidi” recipe ... Do browse through in leisure and try them out ...
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Thanks.