Shrimp & Peas Pilaf

For a first attempt, this dish turned out to be a hit! I usually make a Chicken Biryani when company dines, but we needed a break from that. We're fortunate that shell-on shrimp (26-30 count/lb.) are available already cleaned of their digestive tracts.

Ingredients:

1 lb. shell-on shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups Basmati rice, washed, soaked and drained

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 onions, sliced

6 cloves garlic, diced

1 cup frozen peas

2 Tbsp. Shan Palao/Biryani spice mix

1 tsp. Shan Tandoori masala

2 Tbsp. deep fried onions

3 cups hot water or shrimp broth

salt to taste

2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

Directions:

1. Wash rice, cover with water, soak for 30 minutes, drain & set aside.
2. For the shrimp broth, place the shrimp shells in 4 cups water, boil and reduce till 3 cups broth remain.
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat and saute shrimp just until pink.
4. Remove shrimp from oil, toss with tandoori spices and set aside.
5. In the same oil, stir-fry sliced onions and garlic until onions turn translucent.
6. Place palao/biryani spice mix in a tea strainer, sprinkle over onions in pan and stir well.
7. The strainer will retain the whole garam masala bits so package these into a tea ball infuser or tie in cheese cloth.
8. Stir-fry drained rice with the onions, garlic and spices until rice turns white. Do not allow  rice to brown
9. Add hot water or shrimp broth, stir and drop the tea ball infuser into the pan.
10. Bring contents of pan to a boil, cover and simmer over lowest heat for 25 minutes.
11. Add shrimp and peas to pan, fluff with fork and leave covered for half an hour.
12. Remove tea ball infuser, transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fried onions & hard-boiled eggs before serving.