Kerala Style Fish Biriyani

Pic Courtesy:Self

Fish Biriyani Recipe-A very simple yet tasty dish.Actually i cooked this one some weeks before . Fish doesn’t require much marination time so we can cook them fast.This is a fast recipe which can be prepared in no time.

Ingredients for Fish masala

1. King fish(or any fleshy type fish) – 1/4 kg
2. Onion – 1
3. Ginger-1/2 tbsp(crushed)
4. Garlic – 1 /2 tbsp(crushed)
5. slit green chilly-4-5
6. Tomato – 1 medium
7. Coriander powder – 1/2 tbsp
8. Curd –  2 tbsp
9. Ghee- 1/2 tbsp
10. Oil

Ingredients for Fish marination

1. Chilli powder – 1 tsp
2. Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp
3. Turmeric powder – 1 /2 tsp
4. Ginger & garlic – 1 /2 tbsp each
5. Small onion – 2
6. Fenugreek – a pinch
7. Mustard – a pinch
8. Salt

For creamy paste

1. Cashew nuts – 1/2 tbsp(soaked in water)

For rice

1. Basmati rice – 1 cup
2. Water -2 cup
3. Cardamom – 3(take out the black pods and use)
4. Cinnamon – 1 medium size stick
5. Clove – 3
6. Ghee – 1 tbsp
7. Lemon Juice – 1/2 tbsp
8. Chopped Mint leaves -as required
9. Chopped Coriander leaves -as required
10. Salt

Method

Preparing the Fish Masala

1. Grind together all the ingredients for marinating fish into a fine paste. Apply the paste on the fish pieces and marinate for half an hour.
2. Grind the cashews using very little water into a creamy paste.
3. Shallow fry the marinated fish pieces .They must be just half cooked.Remove the fish pieces.
4. Add 1 /2 tbsp ghee to this oil & saute the onion till it becomes translucent. Add the crushed ginger, garlic & green chilli & saute well.
5. Add  coriander powder and saute till the raw smell disappears.. When the oil starts appearing add the tomatoes.Cover with lid .
6. When the tomatoes gets mushy and cooked well; add in  curd. Mix well.
7. Add the shallow fried fish pieces. Mix carefully to coat the masala on the fish pieces.. After 5 minutes add the cashew  paste.
8. The gravy will get thicker and fish will be almost fully cooked.Now switch off the flame..The Fish Masala is ready.

Preparing Rice For biryani

1. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan and add the whole spices (cardamom, cloves & cinnamon).Saute them..
2. Add the washed rice and just roast in ghee.Add boiling water, salt, coriander & mint leaves & lemon juice. Cook the rice till the water is completely dried.(If you  are unsure of cooking basmati rice with the exact water content you can make use of any of the methods mentioned here..check this)

Using Oven or Microwave for Dum

1. Butter a baking dish. Spread one layer of fish masala at the bottom & a layer of rice on top of it. Repeat the same.Ensure that the top layer is rice.
2. Preheat the oven at 200 C, 10 mins before baking. Reduce the oven temp to 180 C and bake for 20-25 minutes.
3. Spread a wet cloth over the dish while baking. Garnish with fried onions,nuts, raisins.

Stove Top Method for Dum:

If you don’t have an oven use this method…

1. Layer the rice and masala(follow the same order as explained in oven method for layering) in a greased heavy bottomed vessel .Garnish with fried onions,nuts, raisins & cover it with a tight lid.(The lid can be sealed using maida dough)
2. Heat a tawa/dosa kallu, and when it is get really hot, place the biryani vessel on top of it. Reduce the heat to the lowest & cook for 20-25 mins. Keep the heat at the lowest flame throughout, else it will get burnt.
3. Also place a pan of boiling water on top of the biryani vessel .
4. Once cooked ; slowly remove the boiling water pan and open the sealed lid.While serving ;slowly take the fish masala from the bottom and layer the plate with the rice on top..

Serve the biryani with Salads,chutney & pappad..

Notes:

• Serve the Biryani with care as explained above..If not chances are the fish pieces can break

 

Thanks And Regards

Anitha Varghese