Fish Biryani (Traditional Fare)

Very popular item in the Malabar region of Kerala, tasty too.

INGREDIENTS:

Fish: 500g (any fish fillet)

Basmati rice: 2 cups        

Onions: 4 sliced

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Curd: 1/2cup

Coconut milk: 1/2cup

Cashew nut paste: 1 tbsp

Green chilli: 6

Coriander leaves: a handful chopped

Mint leaves: a handful chopped

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Chilli powder: ½ tsp

Garam masala powder: 1 tsp

Cinnamon: 1” stick

Cloves: 3

Cardamom: 2

Fried onions: 2 tbsps

Ghee: 1 tbsp

Oil to fry fish: 4 tbsp

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Marinate fish with turmeric powder, chilli powder & salt for 10 minutes.

Fry in 4 tbsps oil till light brown, keep aside.

Crush 4 green chillies with the coriander leaves.

To make the fish masala:

In the same pan that the fish was fried, add slices onions, fry brown, add ginger-garlic paste, crushed green chilli-coriander paste. Fry well.

Mix curd, cashew nuts paste & coconut milk together & pour into the pan.

Crumble one piece of fried fish into the masala for more taste.

Adjust salt, put the fried fish into the masala, let it just come to boil, put off fire.

To prepare rice:   

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add the whole spices & washed rice, sauté well.

Pour 1 cup water, add 2 slit green chillies, salt & close cooker.

Cook for 1 whistle, open cooker immediately (we require half cooked rice).

 To assemble biryani 

Take a heavy bottomed vessel, put in half the fish masala, layer half the rice over it, sprinkle a little garam masala, chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves & 1 tbsp fried onion.

Put the remaining gravy over it, layer rice & sprinkle masala, coriander & mint.

Dot with ghee, if you like. Seal the vessel with dough or cover with aluminium foil & place in an oven for 45 minutes.

Be careful not to break the fish pieces while serving.

Serve with raita & pickle.