Chingri Pulao | Bengali-style Prawns Pulao

Prawns are perhaps one of the most sought-after ingredients across coastal regions, sometimes even more than fish. Naturally, there’s a version of prawn pulao or biryani in every part of the coast—Goa, Kerala, Odisha, Andhra, and Bengal. We call them chingri, and chingri pulao is special to many Bengali households. But everyone makes it differently. Some cook the prawns with the rice, some add them in the middle, and others finish with prawns on top. It’s all about how the flavour settles in.

At a casual dinner with Vir Sanghvi a few years back, he spoke about how most people overcook prawns in a pulao. He was praising Chef Vikramjit Roy’s version at The Tangra Project, where the prawns were always added at the end to keep them soft. That conversation stayed with me, not because it was new to me, but because it felt quietly validating. I’ve always done the same. I flavour the ghee with prawn heads right at the start, and add the semi-cooked prawns just before covering the pot. It’s just something that comes naturally when you know your ingredients. The result? Chingri that’s soft, juicy, and full of flavour — just the way it should be.

Chingri Pulao (6)

Chingri Polao (3)

Rice Choices and Memories Without a Bite

It’s sad that I can’t taste chingri pulao anymore. I have a food allergy to prawns now, and yet I still cook it often—for friends, family, or just for content. The smell of whole gorom moshla, green chilies, and ghee gives away how well the dish is coming together. I know the taste. I still remember it. You can make this pulao with gobindobhog or basmati, but in this video, I’ve used banshkati—a parboiled long grain rice that works beautifully. It fluffs up well, stays separate, and soaks in the flavour without becoming heavy.

Chingri pulao is festive, it’s personal, and it always finds a way back to the table—whether or not I get to taste it.

Chingri Pulao

Chingri Pulao | Bengali style prawn pulao

Chingri Pulao is a fragrant Bengali rice dish cooked with prawns, whole spices, and ghee for a rich, comforting flavour.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course, Non Vegetarian, Rice Based Recipes

Cuisine: Bengali, Indian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups basmati rice or any other long grain fragrant rice
• 500 gms tiger prawns (with head and tail on)
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 500 gms onions, finely sliced
• ½ cup ghee plus 2 tbsp for the end
• 2 bay leaf
• 1 stick dalchini (cassia)
• 8 cloves
• 6 green cardamoms
• ½ tsp Bengali garam masala (link in the blog body)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4-5 green chilies

Method

 

1. Parboil the rice (80 percent). Drain and spread it out to cool completely.
2. Marinate the prawns with lemon juice, salt, ginger paste, and garlic paste. Set aside for 15 minutes.
3. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a large pan. Add the prawns and cook gently over low heat until the colour changes on both sides (about 1½ minutes). Remove and let them rest.
4. In the same pan, add ½ cup ghee. Once hot, add bay leaves, cassia bark, cloves, and cardamoms. Let them release their aroma.
5. Add the sliced onions. Cook on low heat until they are soft. Do not brown them.
6. Add the cooked rice. Season with salt, Bengali garam masala powder, and sugar. Stir gently to combine, without breaking the rice.
7. Add the rested prawns along with any juices.
8. Add 2 tbsp more ghee and the slit green chilies.
9. If you prefer heat, you can add the chilies at the tempering stage with the spices.
10. Mix everything gently. Cover and cook on low heat for 3–4 minutes.
11. Serve warm.