Fish Biriyani / Meen Biriyani

 
 

 

INGREDIENTS

Jeerakasala / Basmati rice – 3 to 3 ½ cups
Fish – 12 pieces (600 gm)
Bay leaves – 2
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon – 2
Cardamom – 2
Ghee – as needed
Salt – as needed
Lime juice – 1 tsp
Onion – 1 big (for frying)
Cashews – 2 tbsp or as needed
Raisins – 2 tbsp or as needed
For marination
Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Salt – as needed
 

For biriyani masala

Bay leaves – 2
Cinnamon – 2
Cloves – 3
Cardamom – 2
Coriander leaves – ¼ cup
Mint leaves – 2 tbsp
Lime juice – 1 tsp
Curd – 4 tbsp
Salt – as needed
Onion – 3 medium
Tomato – 2
Green chilli – 3-4
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 ½ tbsp
 
 
 

Method

1. Clean and wash rice in several changes of water. Soak rice for 10 minutes, then allow it to drain.
2. In a bowl, add chilli powder, garam masala powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well. Spread the marinade on the fish and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes.
3. Heat a pan. Add water. Add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and salt. Allow water to boil. When
water starts to boil, add rice and ghee. Mix well. Reduce the flame to medium and close the lid of pan. Cook the rice. When rice is cooked, add lime juice. Stir rice gently. Set aside cooked rice.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Add cashews. When cashew starts to change color, add raisins. When raisins are swollen, transfer cashews and raisins on to a plate.
5. In the same pan, fry sliced onion till it is brown. Set aside browned onion. This will be later used for
garnishing.

6. In the same pan, fry fish on medium flame.
7. Now, let’s prepare biriyani masala. In the same pan, add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Once it splutters, add chopped onion, green chilli, and salt. Sauté
lightly. Add crushed ginger garlic. Saute well. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, pepper powder, and garam masala powder. On medium flame, sauté well till the raw smell leaves. Add tomato. Taste check for salt, add if needed. Add coriander leaves and mint leaves. Mix well. Add curd and lime juice. When tomato is all cooked and appears mashed, add fried fish. Mix well. Close the pan. On low flame, cook for 5 minutes. In between, open the pan and give a stir.

8. Let’s put biryani on dum. Add ghee in a pan. Layer half of fish masala on to pan. Now layer half of the rice on to pan. Next, sprinkle coriander, mint leaves, browned onion, nuts
and raisins.

9. Again, continue the layering process with the rest of the ingredients in the same manner as above.
10. Add ghee on top. 
11. Heat an old chapati tawa. Place the prepared biryani pan over the tawa. On low flame, cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, open biryani pan. Mix biryani gently. Sprinkle with coriander leaves.
12. Transfer biryani on to a plate. Serve along with biriyani chammanthi and raita. Yummy!!!

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