Dry Prawns Pulao – Konkan Special Sode Bhaat..

It has been a good 3 weeks since wifey dear came back from India. She brought with her plenty of goodies for me to enjoy. So far all I have done is cook and eat a lot of food that I loved eating as I was growing up. A couple of the recipes I made were with ingredients that are local to the small town where my family has been living for generations. Like this “DRY PRAWNS PULAO – SODE BHAAT”; a mouthwateringly delicious preparation that is a staple in my hometown.

A Bag of Dried Prawns

I terribly miss home since I am living 6000 miles away from it. So it is quiet a momentous occasion when either me or someone close to me (especially wifey dear) gets the chance to go back home for a visit. Not only that we make it a point to bring back a whole lot of fun stuff to eat; especially things that are going to be difficult to find here in the US of A. This time there was a huge surprise for me when wifey dear opened up her bags. It was a bag of dried prawns which brought back a lot of childhood memories.

Kolambi Pulav

One look at it instantly transported me to our ancestral house in a small coastal region of the state of Maharashtra . Every summer vacation all of us cousins used to go there and simply have the time of our lives. Unlike today’s generations who love nothing more than their laptops and cell phones we did not spend even one minute inside the house. The only time we came home was to eat.. That is why our aunts had to always be ready to whip up a quick meal. When that meal turns out to be a Dry Prawn Pilaf (SODE BHAT as it is locally known) the army of kids was satisfied and the aunts basked in the glow of a job well done..

How to make Sode Bhaat

This is a dish which I myself haven’t had in more than 5 years. So y’all can understand how excited I was. To begin with the prawns need to soak in water so that it softens up and re hydrates a bit.

The most important part is the combination of different spices which gives the recipe a unique flavor. Roasting the different spices like cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves etc in hot oil for a couple of minutes allows the oil to get infused with the essential oils from these spices and adds an extra layer of flavor to the dish.

Next I added the onions and the ginger garlic paste to the infused oil and sautéed them till the onions were golden brown.

Maharashtrian Spiced Dry Shrimp Pulav

Finally it was time for one of the two secret ingredients of this dish i.e. the malwani masala along with the cumin and coriander powders. Stir these powders for a minute or so..Then add the dried shrimp and a little kokum for a touch of tang. Then add the required amount of water and pressure cook for about 15-20 minutes or till the rice is cooked.

I must say these 15-20 minutes were the hardest time of my life. Once I opened up the pressure cooker I believed I had stuck gold. The grains of rice were absolutely glistening and I would like to believe they were calling my name (LAUGHS!!!).

This moment was more than 5 years in the making!!! I wanted to savor every second of it which is exactly what I did. I smelled the aroma first, then sensed the texture.. After swallowing my first bite I was in my own food heaven!!!.

Tips to make Prawns Pulao

• Soak the rice for 30 minutes to get fluffy rice.
• Soak dry shrimp in water for 30 minutes so that it softens up.
• Do not overcook the prawns, as they might turn chewy and rubbery.
• Saute the whole spices in oil for added flavor.
• You can replace Malvani Masala with garam masala.

Serving Suggestion

Serve it hot with cold yogurt, raita or salad.

Storage Suggestions

Store the leftover pulao in the refrigerator for 2 days. Splash some water over the dry shrimp pulav before putting it in the microwave.

How to make prawns pulao in an Instant Pot?

Follow the same recipe as given below, close the lid of the instant pot and select Rice option. Let the pressure release naturally. Once done, open the instant, mix the pulao, and serve hot. 

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OTHER SHRIMP RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY !!

• Malvani Shrimp Masala on a Crostini
• Crispy Pan-fried Malvani Shrimp
• Shrimp Samosa
• Aromatic and Flavorful Oven Baked Coconut Shrimp Biryani

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Dry Prawns Pulao – Sode Bhaat

Rahul

Sun dried shrimp and aromatic spices makes this dish a hearty meal.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Soaking 30 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Konkani, Maharashtrian

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• 1½ cup Basmati Rice
• ¾ cup Dry Shrimp sode
• ½ Onion diced
• 1½ tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 5 Kokum
• 1 Bayleaf
• 1½ stick Cinnamon
• ½ tsp Peppercorns
• 10 Cloves
• 1½ tsp Cumin Powder
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 2 tsp Malvani Masala
• 3 cup Water
• Salt as per taste
• Oil for cooking

Instructions

 

• Rinse the rice, drain the water and set aside for 30 minutes.
• Soak dry shrimp in water for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add bayleaf, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves and let it infuse into the oil for 2 minutes.
• Add onions and cook until they are golden brown.Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
• Stir in cumin powder, coriander powder and malvani masala.
• Add rice, dry fish, kokum and salt. Mix and saute for a couple more minutes.
• Pour water and stir well. Cover the pressure cooker and cook on low flame for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve hot with cold yogurt or salad.

Keyword Dry Prawns Pulao, Dry Shrimp Pulav, Sode Bhaat

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