Fish Biryani

Fish Biriyani can be made in different methods using different ingredient. I make the Biriyani after frying the Fish. Not all Fish is good for Fish Biriyani. Big fish with flesh like King Fish, Pomfret and Hamour tastes awesome.

The Ghee rice is made in advance and then I mix rice with Biriyani Fish Masala.

But the fish has to be cleaned very well to remove the fishy smell. The tip to remove the smell is by coating the cleaned fish with lime juice and salt. Then keep aside for 10 minutes and clean the fish again in running water.

Ingredients

• To fry fish :
• Cleaned king Fish - 1/2 kg
• Lime juice - 2 tbsp
• Red Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry fish
• To make Biriyani Masala :
• Ghee - 4 tbsp
• Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
• Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Onions chopped - 3 big
• Tomato chopped - 1 big
• Green Chili - 8
• Coriander leaves - 10
• Mint leaves - 10
• Lime juice - 7 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• To make ghee rice :
• Rice - 1/4 kg (2 and 1/2 glass rice)
• Water - 5 glass
• Ghee - 5 tbsp
• Sunflower oil - 5 tbsp
• Cinnamon(Karugapatta) - 5 piece
• Cardamom(Elakka) seeds - 5 piece
• Cloves(Grambu) - 5 piece
• For seasoning :
• 1 big onion chopped
• 12 cashew nuts
• 12 dried grapes

Method

Step 1

First step is to marinate the fish for 1/2 an hour by coating the fish with 2 tbsp red chilli powder, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tbsp pepper powder, 1 tbsp turmeric powder and salt to taste.

Step 2

Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish. Donot deep fry, but have to be fried moderately.

Step 3

By the time your fish is getting fried you can make the rice. Rice has to be washed in advance and kept drained to get dried for atleast 1/2 an hour.

Step 4

Heat oil and ghee mix in a thick bottomed bowl. Add Cinnamon(Karugapatta), Cardamom(Elakka) seeds, Cloves(Grambu) and fry for 1/2 a minute. Then add dried rice and fry it until rice gets separated from each other. Please take care that the rice should not get brown color when you fry it.

Step 5

Mean while, boil water by adding adequate salt required to cook the rice.

Step 6

Once the rice is fried, add boiling water to the rice and check salt. Then stir well and cook the rice in low flame with lid closed. Once rice is cooked switch of the flame and keep aside.

Step 7

Now the third step is to make the masala. Before we start masala preparation, we can fry the seasoning items (onion, cashew nuts and dried grapes) and keep aside.

Step 8

In the same oil in which we have fried the seasoning items sauté ginger and garlic paste first. Put onion to this and sauté onion, tomato, green chilli, coriander leaves and mint leaves.

Step 9

Once this is sautéed well add lime juice, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt to taste.

Step 10

Sauté for 5 more minutes and slide fried fish to this gravy. Add 2 to 3 spoons of water and slowly mix the gravy and fish.

Step 11

Allow to cook for 10 minutes in very low flame with lid closed. Your Biriyani masala is ready!!!

Step 12

In a thick bottomed vessel greased with ghee, layer the ghee rice and fish masala adding some fresh coriander leaves in between the layers. On top add the fried seasoning and a spoon of ghee. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour and serve hot with dates chutney.