Medium Prawn Recipes: Karahi, Jhinga Pulao, Pakoras and Soup

Medium prawns are the size you can cook on a Tuesday without planning a feast. They clean quickly (or arrive cleaned if you choose Peeled and Deveined), cook in minutes and spread through rice and batter so everyone gets a fair share. These four recipes are written for Medium Prawns and for Pakistani home kitchens: a karahi, a pulao, pakoras, and a lighter soup.

Before You Start: Prep for Medium Prawns

• If using shell-on prawns, peel and devein, then keep the shells and heads for the pulao stock below.
• Rinse briefly in cold water and pat completely dry with a clean cloth or kitchen paper.
• A light coat of salt, haldi and a squeeze of lemon for 10–15 minutes in the fridge is enough. Medium prawns don't need long marinades.
• Prawns are done when they turn pink and opaque all the way through and curl into a loose "C".

1. Tomato Prawn Karahi

A quick, bright karahi with plenty of tomatoes and green chillies. Serves 4. Time: about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 750 g–1 kg peeled and deveined medium prawns
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 5 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon haldi, salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4–5 green chillies, slit
• A thumb of ginger cut into julienne, fresh coriander, lemon
• ½ teaspoon garam masala

Method

1. Heat oil in a karahi, add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes.
2. Add tomatoes, salt, red chilli, haldi and crushed coriander. Cook on medium-high heat, pressing the tomatoes, until they break down and oil separates – about 10–12 minutes.
3. Add the prawns and toss in the masala on high heat for 3–4 minutes until they turn pink and opaque.
4. Add green chillies, ginger julienne and garam masala. Cook one more minute, then switch off the heat.
5. Finish with coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with hot naan or roti.

Tip: the masala does the long cooking; the prawns go in only at the end. If the karahi looks dry, add a splash of hot water rather than cooking the prawns longer.

2. Jhinga Pulao with Prawn Yakhni

A fragrant, gently spiced pulao where medium prawns are spread through every spoonful. Serves 5–6. Time: about 1 hour.

Ingredients

• 750 g peeled medium prawns, plus heads and shells if you bought them whole
• 3 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup oil or ghee
• Whole spices: 1 teaspoon cumin, 4 cloves, 6 black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1 stick cinnamon, 3 green cardamoms
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, 2 tomatoes, 4 green chillies
• ½ cup yoghurt, salt, ½ teaspoon garam masala, fresh mint

Method

1. Make the yakhni: simmer the prawn heads and shells in about 6 cups of water with a few whole spices for 15–20 minutes. Strain and keep the liquid. Skip this step if using peeled prawns only and use water.
2. Heat oil, fry the onions until golden. Add the remaining whole spices and ginger-garlic paste and stir for a minute.
3. Add tomatoes, green chillies, yoghurt and salt. Cook until the masala is thick and oil rises.
4. Add the prawns and stir for 2 minutes only, until they just turn pink. Lift out half the prawns and set them aside.
5. Add about 5½ cups of hot yakhni, check salt, and bring to a boil. Add the drained rice.
6. Cook on high until the water reduces to the surface of the rice. Scatter the reserved prawns, garam masala and mint on top.
7. Cover tightly and put on dum on the lowest heat for 12–15 minutes. Fluff gently and serve with raita and kachumber.

Cooking pulao often? Our guide to cleaning and batch-freezing medium prawns explains how to keep ready portions in the freezer for rice nights, and how to store leftover pulao safely.

3. Crispy Prawn Pakoras

Golden besan pakoras with a juicy prawn in each piece – perfect with imli chutney. Makes about 25. Time: 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 500 g peeled and deveined medium prawns, patted very dry
• 1 cup besan (gram flour) and 2 tablespoons rice flour
• 1 small onion, finely sliced; 2 green chillies, chopped; fresh coriander
• 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes, ½ teaspoon ajwain, ½ teaspoon crushed coriander, salt
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste and a little lemon juice
• Cold water as needed; oil for deep-frying

Method

1. Toss the prawns with salt, ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice. Leave in the fridge for 10 minutes.
2. Mix besan, rice flour, spices, onion, chillies and coriander. Add cold water a little at a time to make a thick batter that coats a spoon.
3. Fold in the prawns.
4. Heat oil to medium-hot. Drop spoonfuls of batter, each with one or two prawns, into the oil.
5. Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp. Drain on paper and serve hot.

Tip: if the oil is too hot the outside browns before the prawn inside is cooked; medium heat gives a crisp shell and an opaque, juicy prawn.

4. Lighter Option: Prawn and Vegetable Soup

A light, warming soup for winter evenings that uses a small quantity of prawns. Serves 4. Time: 25 minutes.

Ingredients

• 250–300 g peeled medium prawns, roughly halved
• 5 cups prawn stock (from shells) or water
• 1 carrot, a handful of cabbage and 1 capsicum, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic and a small piece of ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, black pepper, salt
• 2 tablespoons cornflour mixed with water; spring onions to finish

Method

1. Sauté garlic and ginger in a teaspoon of oil for a few seconds. Add stock and bring to a boil.
2. Add the vegetables and simmer for 3–4 minutes.
3. Add soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and salt. Stir in the cornflour slurry until slightly thickened.
4. Add the prawns and simmer for 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque. Finish with spring onions.

Bonus: Quick Prawn Fried Rice

Day-old cooked rice, a handful of medium prawns stir-fried on high heat with garlic, an egg, spring onions, soy sauce and pepper makes a fast dinner. Cook the prawns first, set them aside, then return them at the end so they don't overcook while the rice fries.

Ready to Cook?

These recipes all rely on prawns that cook fast and mix easily, which is exactly where medium grade fits. Pick your cut on the Medium Prawns page, or explore the Prawns & Shrimp category if you are planning a bigger occasion.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my prawns go rubbery in karahi?

They are usually added too early. Cook the tomato masala fully first, then add medium prawns for just 3–4 minutes on high heat.

Can I make prawn pulao without heads and shells?

Yes. Use water or a light vegetable stock instead of prawn yakhni. The flavour will be milder, so you may want a little extra whole spice and salt.

How do I stop prawn pakoras from going soggy?

Dry the prawns well, keep the batter thick, use cold water in the batter and fry at medium heat in small batches so the oil temperature doesn't drop.

Can these recipes use frozen medium prawns?

Yes. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, drain any liquid and pat dry before cooking. For soup, small frozen prawns can go straight into the simmering stock as long as they are cooked until fully opaque.