One-Pot Shrimp and Tomato Pulao

Updated September 24, 2025

Media 1 of 1
Ready In
1 hr
Rating
5(223)
Comments
Read comments

This shrimp pulao is a beloved staple in the kitchens of Mumbai’s Parsi community, descendants of Zoroastrians who settled in India after fleeing religious persecution in Iran. Rooted in the rich traditions of South Asian cooking, the dish features familiar elements like cumin, red chile powder and fragrant basmati rice. What truly sets this pulao apart is its unmistakable tang from a bold, savory mix of tomatoes, vinegar, lemon slices and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. That signature sourness balances the gentle sweetness of plump shrimp and caramelized onions, creating a deeply satisfying one-pot meal. Ready in under an hour and easily scalable, it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or feeding a crowd with minimal fuss. Serve with a cooling raita, alongside dhanshak or all by itself. 

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement


Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1 cup basmati rice 

  • 1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp 

  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chile powder (or other mild red chile powder)

  • ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric 

  • ¼ cup ghee or neutral cooking oil (such as vegetable or canola)

  • 4 whole peppercorns

  • 3 whole cloves

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 

  • 1 medium yellow, white or red onion, thinly sliced 

  • 1 ½ tablespoons garlic paste or freshly grated garlic  

  • 2 to 3 Thai green chiles, chopped

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

  • 3 plum tomatoes, chopped

  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock or water

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus 3 lemon slices (from 1 lemon) 

  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

52 grams carbs; 185 milligrams cholesterol; 473 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 903 milligrams sodium; 31 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a bowl, cover the rice with water and set aside to soak. In a bowl, combine the shrimp, chile powder and turmeric, tossing to coat the shrimp. 

  2. Step 2

    In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat ghee on medium until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir in the peppercorns, cloves and cumin seeds. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the green chiles and cumin. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper, and stir some more. Continue cooking until the tomatoes start to become jammy and the oil separates from the tomato mixture, 5 to 10 minutes. 

  4. Step 4

    Stir in the seasoned shrimp, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, and continue cooking for a few minutes, until the shrimp start to turn pink. 

  5. Step 5

    Drain the rice, add it to the pot and stir to coat. Stir in the stock, lemon juice and lemon slices. Turn the heat up to high. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the pulao rest, still covered, for 10 minutes. 

  6. Step 6

    Uncover and fluff the pulao with a serving spoon. Adjust seasoning to taste, and top with cilantro before serving. 

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
223 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Wow, was this good! I thought it was perfect the way it was, but I did like another commenter’s suggestion to use more tomatoes and lemon slices and I plan on making a version using those suggestions soon. I live on Cape Fear where we have access to fresh-caught shrimp for much of the year. The cooking method here did not cause the shrimp to become tough or otherwise less appealing. In fact I thought they were pretty perfect. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this recipe to anyone

There is a great New Yorker cartoon by Asher where two guys are in a kitchen, and one says to the other: "This recipe only takes 20 minutes, if you don't count the other time it takes." :)

Easy, wonderful one-pot dish that works perfectly for the weekdays. Do remember to put the lemon slices in as they soak up all the spices. Getting mouthfuls of soft lemon and jammy tomatoes is the experience to have here. I might even suggest adding more tomatoes and lemon slices the next time I make this. It's a keeper!

This was really tasty and I plan to make it again. My only tip - other than not adding the shrimp until the water is boiling, as others have mentioned - is to wrap the pot lid in a clean kitchen towel when you let the rice stand off the heat at the end. That way the rice properly steams and gets fluffy rather than absorbing extra condensation and getting mushy.

This is fantastic, but I did take the advice of adding the shrimp later in the rice cooking time and had nice tender shrimp. I also didn't have cloves on hand, so I used some coriander seeds instead. This was a hit in my household!

Loved this recipe! Did not have white vinegar or rice vinegar so I added Chinkiang vinegar. Like many others said, I would recommend adding the shrimp later on in the process as they were overcooked. Added extra lemon juice and slices as well.

Private comments are only visible to you.

or to save this recipe.