Fish Biryani

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Fish Biryani
Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time : 1 hour | Serves 4
Recipe Source: My aunt Frenny

Ingredients


For the rice

• 3 cups long grain basmati rice, washed & soaked for 20 mins
• 6 cups of liquid (plain water or a mixture of water & gravy)
• 3 Indian bay leaves
• 1 stick cinnamon/cassia bark
• 5-6 cloves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped stalk of coriander
• ghee for frying
• salt to taste

• 4-5 large slices (palm sized) of King Fish (Surmai/Anjal) or approx 750-800 grams of white fish fillets
• 1-1/2 – 3/4th packet of fish biryani masala (I used Shaan masala)
• 1 cup (240-250 ml) thick curds, whipped & lump free
• 2 medium sized onions finely sliced
• 1 juicy tomato finely chopped
• Juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 sprig curry leaves/karipatta
• Ghee for frying
• Salt to taste
• For the green masala:

• 1 cup coriander leaves
• 6-7 sprigs of mint leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin/jeera
• 2 inches ginger
• 6-7 cloves garlic
• 2-3 green chillies (adjust to taste) * see notes
• 1 marble size ball of tamarind

Method:


Prepare the garnishing
1. In a heavy bottomed pan (use the same pan to make the fish gravy), heat some ghee and fry the onions till they turn golden brown. Reduce the flame when they begin to brown or they will burn quickly. Drain off excess ghee and then spread them out on a plate to cool. Fry the cashewnuts and raisins one by one in the same ghee. Remove & cool.

Prepare the fish gravy
1. Clean the fish with salt, vinegar & turmeric & set aside for 15 mins. Rinse in fresh water and place on a colander to drain off. Pat dry and apply a marinade of red chilly or bafat powder, salt & vinegar & set aside for 30 mins. Fry the fish lightly, remove & allow to cool. If you are using king fish carefully remove the skin & bones to ensure that the pieces don’t break.
2. Mix the biryani masala with the curds and keep aside. Lightly fry the chopped tomatoes in a small non stick pan till it turns mushy. Grind all the ingredients mentioned under ‘For the green masala’ to a fine paste. Reserve the masala water from the mixie.
3. Heat ghee on a medium flame in a heavy bottomed pan and add the curry leaves and onions and fry them till golden. Add the curd & masala mixture and fry well. Toss in the bay leaves and fry.
4. Add the ground masala and continue to fry till the mixture turns to a brownish green. Mix in the fried tomato. Add the reserved masala water and adjust the consistency of the gravy to medium thickness.
5. When the gravy begins to bubble carefully add the fried fish pieces and cover them with the gravy. Allow it to simmer for a minute (do not overcook as the fish is already fried) and turn off the flame.

Prepare the rice
1. Completely drain off the washed & soaked basmati rice. Heat the ghee on medium flame & fry the cinnamon & cloves. Add the rice and fry it on low heat till it begins to feel heavy.
2. You can now add 6 cups of freshly boiled plain water to the rice or to make it more flavourful, add a combination of freshly boiled water and gravy from the prepared fish curry (retain only enough gravy to coat the fish pieces). This combination should be a total of 6 cups (use the same cup that was used to measure the rice).
3. Mix the rice & liquid mixture, check salt to taste and adjust accordingly (remember that the fish gravy already has salt in it), toss in the chopped coriander stalks and lime juice if required.
4. When the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat completely, cover the pan with a well fitting lid and cook for exactly 5 minutes (keep a timer!) Turn off the flame and let the pan sit undisturbed for 15 minutes. Open the pan, fluff up the rice with a fork.

Layer & assemble
1. Layer the bottom of a greased pan with the cooked rice, sprinkle a tablespoon of chopped mint & coriander leaves, a few fried cashewnuts & raisins and fried onions. Continue to layer in the same fashion until all the ingredients have been used up.
2. Serve hot with a simple raitha.