Malabar Fish Biriyani

I first had fish biryani in a restaurant, but I am not impressed at all. As my hubby love fish biriyani, we used to order that. But these days we stopped ordering that as its taste is not at all good. I want to give it a try at home and it turned out very tasty. My hubby loved it. I don't like fish that much but me too loved this biriyani.

I used to think preparing fish biriyani is very difficult. But no it is as simple as preparing chicken biriyani. Let's briefly see how to prepare it. Marinate fish with spices for an hour. Cook rice upto 80% and prepare gravy with onion, tomato in which some spices are added and the prepared gravy and cooked rice is layered in a pot and steamed for another 15 to 20 minutes. Tada - Fish biriyani will be ready. You may see many ingredients and large process but it is very simple to prepare at home.

Marinate fish for an hour and fry it till half done and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add masala ingredients and onions and fry till brown.
Add Chillies, tomato and gg paste to it and fry.

Add poppy seed paste mixture, curd, chilli powder, coriander powder and
 masala powder, little water and cook for 5 minutes. 

Layer rice and gravy and place fish pieces on top and seal the lid  and cook
15 to 20 minutes by placing the pot on a tawa.

Ingredients:

• Basmathi Rice - 3 cups
• Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ghee - 3 Tbsp
• Fish pieces - 6 to 7 (I used Gaint Sea Perch(Pandu Koppa in Telugu)) which will have single bone,                                      You can also use fish fillets)

For Fish Marination:

• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Sompu/Fennel seed powder - 1 tsp

Ingredients for Gravy:

• Onion - 2, Medium (1.5 for gravy and 1/2 for garnishing), Cut lengthwise
• Large Tomato - 1
• Green Chilies - 4, Split
• Curd - 1/4 cup
• Pudina/Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
• Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp(homemade) or 1 tsp (store bought) or Biriyani masala - 1 tsp
• Cumin - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1.5 Tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1/4 cup

Masala Ingredients:

• Star Anise - 1
• Cardamom - 4
• Cloves - 4
• Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
• Mace - few strings
• Nutmeg - small piece
• Bay leaf - 2

To make paste:

• Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry Coconut powder - 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts - 5

*Note - Adjust masala and spices to taste. If you less masala cut down the amount of masala powder.

Preparation:

• Clean and marinate fish with the ingredients under marination for 1 hour.
• Grind poppy seeds, cashews and coconut into paste.
• Soak rice for 1 hour.

Preparing Gravy:

• Heat oil in pot and fry fish until half done and keep aside.
• To the same pan, add ingredients under masala and fry for a minute and add onions, green chilies and fry till onions turn brown.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and tomato and cook till tomato become soft.
• Add curd, poppy seed paste mixture and mix. If gravy is thick add little water and cook for 5 minutes.

Preparing Rice:

• Cook rice in plenty of water along with fennel seeds and salt until rice is 80% done.
• Strain water and keep rice aside.

Preparing Biriyani:

• Take some gravy from the pot and adjust the remaining gravy and put rice over the gravy, mint leaves and some gravy and again rice and finally place fish and place the lid.
• Place a tawa over the stove and heat it and place the pot on tawa and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes and another 10 minutes on low heat. (Total 20 minutes)