Prawn Recipes — Easy 10-Minute Indian Prawn Dishes

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (PD)
• 2 cups basmati
• 2 onions, sliced & fried
• 1 cup yogurt
• Biryani masala
• Saffron + milk
• Mint & coriander
• Ghee

Method

1. Marinate prawns in yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, biryani masala, salt — 20 min.
2. Parboil basmati with whole spices (bay, cardamom, cloves) until 70% done. Drain.
3. In a heavy pot, cook marinated prawns for 4 min until just pink. Don't overcook — prawns turn rubbery fast.
4. Layer rice over prawns. Top with fried onions, mint, saffron milk, ghee.
5. Seal with foil + lid. Dum on low heat for 20 min. Rest 10 min before opening.

Ingredients

• 400g prawns (PD)
• 1.5 cups basmati
• Bay, cinnamon, cardamom
• Onion, ginger-garlic
• 3 cups stock
• Ghee

Method

1. Rinse + soak basmati for 20 min. Drain.
2. In ghee, fry whole spices, then onions till golden. Add ginger-garlic.
3. Add prawns with salt + turmeric. Cook just 2 min — they finish cooking with the rice. Don't overcook.
4. Add rice, stir gently, pour in hot stock. Bring to boil.
5. Cover, low heat 12 min. Rest 5 min. Fluff with a fork.

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (PD)
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste
• Red chilli powder
• Turmeric
• Curry leaves
• Mustard seeds

Method

1. Marinate prawns in turmeric, chilli powder, ginger-garlic, salt — 10 min.
2. Crackle mustard seeds in oil, add curry leaves, then onions. Fry till deep golden.
3. Add prawns on high heat. Let them sear 1 min before stirring.
4. Toss 3–4 min till the masala dries and clings — cook just until pink, don't overcook or they turn rubbery.
5. Finish with a squeeze of lime. Serve with hot rice and ghee.

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (shell-on)
• 2 onions
• 2 tomatoes
• Ginger-garlic paste
• Red chilli + coriander powder
• Curry leaves
• Garam masala

Method

1. Sauté onions in oil till golden. Add ginger-garlic + curry leaves, cook 1 min.
2. Add tomatoes, turmeric, chilli, coriander powder. Cook till oil separates.
3. Add prawns + a little water. The shells will release their flavour into the gravy.
4. Simmer covered 6–8 min till gravy is thick and clings to the prawns. Don't overcook — keep them just-firm.
5. Sprinkle garam masala. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (shell-on)
• Lemon-sized tamarind, soaked
• 2 onions
• Red chilli + coriander powder
• Curry leaves
• Fenugreek seeds
• Jaggery (small piece)

Method

1. Soak tamarind in warm water, extract thick pulp.
2. Temper fenugreek + curry leaves in oil. Add onions, fry till soft.
3. Add turmeric, chilli, coriander powder. Pour in tamarind pulp + a cup of water. Boil 5 min.
4. Slide in prawns and the jaggery. Simmer 6–7 min — the shells deepen the gravy. Don't overcook the prawns.
5. Rest 10 min so flavours settle. Serve with plain rice.

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (PD)
• 12 garlic cloves
• 5 dried red chillies
• Cumin seeds
• Curry leaves
• Turmeric
• Lemon

Method

1. Grind garlic, dried chillies, cumin, salt into a coarse paste.
2. Heat oil, add curry leaves, then the garlic-chilli paste. Fry 2–3 min till raw smell goes.
3. Add prawns + turmeric. Toss on high heat.
4. Cook just 4–5 min till prawns turn pink and the paste coats them — don't overcook or they go rubbery.
5. Squeeze lemon over. Serve with rice or as a fiery starter.

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (PD)
• 1 tbsp fennel
• 5 dried red chillies
• 2 tbsp grated coconut
• Curry leaves
• Onion, tomato, ginger-garlic

Method

1. Dry-roast fennel, peppercorns, chillies, coconut until fragrant. Grind to paste.
2. Sauté onions in oil until golden. Add ginger-garlic, then tomato — cook till soft.
3. Add the masala paste. Fry 2 min until oil separates.
4. Add prawns + curry leaves. Toss 4–5 min on high heat — cook just until pink, don't overcook.
5. Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Serve with rice or dosa.

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (shell-on)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 onions, sliced
• Green chillies
• Ginger
• Curry leaves
• Turmeric
• Kokum or tamarind (small)

Method

1. Sauté onions, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves in coconut oil till soft.
2. Add turmeric, chilli powder, and the kokum. Stir 1 min.
3. Pour in thin coconut milk + a little water. Add prawns, simmer 6 min — the shells enrich the curry.
4. Add thick coconut milk last. Warm through 2 min only — don't boil hard or overcook the prawns.
5. Temper extra curry leaves in coconut oil and pour over. Serve with rice.

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (PD)
• 3 tbsp yogurt
• Red chilli powder
• Ginger-garlic
• Cornflour
• Rice flour
• Curry leaves

Method

1. Marinate prawns in yogurt, ginger-garlic, chilli, lemon, salt — 15 min.
2. Mix in cornflour + rice flour to coat evenly.
3. Deep-fry in hot oil 2–3 min until crisp and red. Don't overcrowd or overcook — drain on paper.
4. In a separate pan, temper curry leaves + green chillies in 1 tbsp oil.
5. Toss fried prawns in the tempering. Serve with onion rings + lemon.

Ingredients

• 400g prawns (PD)
• Cornflour + maida
• Soy sauce
• Green chilli sauce
• Ginger-garlic, chopped
• Spring onions
• Capsicum

Method

1. Coat prawns in cornflour-maida batter. Deep-fry 2–3 min till crisp — don't overcook. Drain.
2. In a wok, flash-fry ginger-garlic, then capsicum and spring onion whites on high heat.
3. Add soy sauce, green chilli sauce, a splash of water, pinch of sugar.
4. Thicken with a cornflour slurry, then toss in the fried prawns.
5. Coat quickly, garnish with spring onion greens. Serve hot.

Ingredients

• 300g prawns (PD)
• 3 cups cooked & cooled rice
• 2 eggs
• Spring onions
• Garlic, chopped
• Soy sauce
• White pepper

Method

1. Heat oil in a wok till smoking. Toss prawns 2–3 min till just pink — cook quickly, don't overcook. Remove.
2. Scramble eggs in the same wok, then add garlic and spring onion whites.
3. Add cold rice, breaking up clumps. Stir-fry on high heat.
4. Season with soy sauce, white pepper, salt. Return the prawns.
5. Toss everything, finish with spring onion greens. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (shell-on)
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 6 dried Kashmiri chillies
• Tamarind
• Coriander + cumin seeds
• Turmeric
• Onion

Method

1. Grind coconut, chillies, coriander, cumin, turmeric, tamarind with water into a smooth masala.
2. Sauté sliced onion in oil till soft. Add the ground masala, fry 3–4 min.
3. Add a cup of water, bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt.
4. Slide in prawns. Simmer 6–7 min — the shells lift the gravy. Don't overcook the prawns.
5. Rest a few minutes. Serve with rice or pao.

Ingredients

• 400g tiger prawns (PD)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• Chilli flakes
• Parsley
• Lemon

Method

1. Pat prawns dry. Season with salt + black pepper.
2. Melt butter in a wide pan. Add garlic — cook 30 sec, don't brown.
3. Add prawns in a single layer. Sear 90 sec each side — cook just until pink, don't overcook.
4. Add chilli flakes, a squeeze of lemon, chopped parsley.
5. Toss and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 500g prawns (shell-on)
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 8 Byadgi chillies
• Tamarind
• Coriander + cumin seeds
• Ginger-garlic
• Curry leaves

Method

1. Dry-roast chillies + coriander + cumin + peppercorns. Grind with tamarind + ginger-garlic + water.
2. Marinate prawns in this paste with salt — 20 min.
3. Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Tip in curry leaves.
4. Add marinated prawns. Cook on medium-high 6–8 min, stirring till the paste dries and coats — don't overcook past glossy-red.
5. Serve with neer dosa or rice.

Ingredients

• 500g tiger prawns (PD)
• 2 tbsp coarsely crushed black pepper
• Ginger-garlic paste
• Onion
• Curry leaves
• Turmeric
• Lemon

Method

1. Marinate prawns in turmeric, ginger-garlic, half the pepper, salt — 10 min.
2. Sauté onions + curry leaves in oil till soft.
3. Add prawns on high heat, searing 1 min before stirring.
4. Toss 4–5 min, adding the rest of the crushed pepper — cook just until pink, don't overcook.
5. Finish with lemon. Serve hot as a starter or with rice.

Ingredients

• 500g tiger prawns (PD)
• Cornflour + maida
• 3 tbsp yogurt
• Red chilli paste
• Ginger-garlic
• Green chillies
• Curry leaves

Method

1. Coat prawns in cornflour-maida with chilli, salt. Deep-fry 2–3 min till crisp — don't overcook. Drain.
2. In a pan, fry ginger-garlic, green chillies, curry leaves.
3. Add red chilli paste + whisked yogurt. Cook 2 min till it thickens, don't let it split.
4. Toss the fried prawns in this masala to coat.
5. Serve hot, garnished with extra fried curry leaves.

Ingredients

• 500g jumbo tiger prawns (PD, tails on)
• Thick yogurt
• Tandoori masala
• Ginger-garlic
• Kasuri methi
• Mustard oil
• Lemon

Method

1. Whisk yogurt with tandoori masala, ginger-garlic, kasuri methi, mustard oil, salt.
2. Coat prawns fully. Marinate 30 min (or up to 2 hours in the fridge).
3. Thread onto skewers. Grill on high heat 2 min each side, or broil at 250°C — don't overcook, prawns dry out fast.
4. Baste with butter halfway through for char.
5. Finish with lemon juice and chaat masala. Serve with mint chutney.

Ingredients

• 500g jumbo tiger prawns (PD, tails on)
• Garlic, minced
• Olive oil
• Black pepper
• Mixed herbs / oregano
• Lemon
• Butter (to baste)

Method

1. Butterfly prawns along the back. Toss with garlic, oil, pepper, herbs, salt — rest 15 min.
2. Heat a grill pan or charcoal grill till very hot.
3. Grill prawns 2 min per side, basting with butter — cook just until pink and opaque, don't overcook.
4. Squeeze lemon over while hot.
5. Serve with a fresh salad or garlic rice.

Ingredients

• 300g tiger prawns (PD)
• 200g Hakka noodles
• Capsicum, carrot, cabbage (julienned)
• Garlic, chopped
• Soy + chilli sauce
• Spring onions
• Vinegar

Method

1. Boil noodles till just done, toss in a little oil, set aside.
2. On high heat, toss prawns 2 min till just pink — don't overcook. Remove.
3. Flash-fry garlic and the julienned veg in a hot wok — keep them crunchy.
4. Add soy sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar, then the noodles and prawns.
5. Toss to coat, finish with spring onions. Serve hot.

Ingredients

• 400g tiger prawns (PD)
• Red chilli powder
• Turmeric
• Ginger-garlic paste
• Lemon
• Rice flour (optional)

Method

1. Mix prawns with chilli, turmeric, ginger-garlic, salt, lemon juice. Rest 10 min.
2. Optional: dust lightly with rice flour for extra crisp.
3. Heat oil on a tawa or flat pan until shimmering.
4. Sear prawns single-layer, 90 sec each side — cook just until pink, don't overcook. Don't crowd the pan.
5. Finish with curry leaves tempered in the hot oil. Serve hot.

Ingredients

• 500g tiger prawns (PD)
• 2 onions
• 3 tomatoes
• Ginger-garlic paste
• Garam masala
• Coriander powder
• Fresh coriander

Method

1. Blitz tomatoes to a purée.
2. Sauté onions until deep golden. Add ginger-garlic, cook 1 min.
3. Add tomato purée, turmeric, chilli, coriander powder. Cook till oil separates.
4. Add prawns, a splash of water, garam masala. Simmer just 5 min — don't overcook the prawns.
5. Garnish with coriander. Serve with rice, roti, or jeera pulao.

Ingredients

• 6 jumbo tiger prawns (PD)
• 2.5 cups basmati
• Fried onions
• Yogurt
• Saffron-milk
• Biryani masala
• Ghee

Method

1. Marinate prawns in yogurt, biryani masala, ginger-garlic — 30 min.
2. Parboil basmati with whole spices to 70%. Drain.
3. Pan-sear marinated prawns 1 min each side — don't cook through, they finish on dum.
4. Layer: half rice → prawns + marinade → rest of rice → fried onions, saffron, ghee.
5. Dum-cook on very low heat 25 min. Rest 10 min. Serve with raita.

Ingredients

• 500g tiger prawns (shell-on)
• 1 can coconut milk
• Onion paste
• Ginger paste
• Bay leaf
• Cardamom
• Mustard oil

Method

1. Lightly fry prawns with turmeric + salt, 1 min each side. Remove — don't cook through.
2. In mustard oil, fry bay + cardamom. Add onion paste, cook till golden.
3. Add ginger paste, chilli powder, a splash of water. Cook till oil separates.
4. Pour in coconut milk. Season with sugar + salt. Simmer 5 min.
5. Return prawns, simmer just 3 min more — don't overcook. Serve with steamed rice.