Malabar Fish Biriyani

One of the very popular Biriyani down south, there are many versions of malabar biriyani.
This one is adapted from the very versions I have tried.


This recipe can be served for 4 people.

Ingredient list:

For the Rice-

Biriyani Rice ( I used "malabar ashraf rice") - 2 cups

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cloves- 8 nos

Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

Black Peppercorns - 6nos

Star Anise - 2 nos

Bay leaf - 1

Rose water - 1tsp

Juice of half a lemon

Salt to taste

Water - 4 cups

Before cooking - Wash the Biriyani rice well-soak in water for 10 minutes-drain the water and let it stand for another 15 minutes.

Fish - 8 pieces - seer fish/white pomfret
Vegetable oil - 4 tbsp
Before cooking - Wash and clean the fishes.Marinate it with salt,chilly powder,turmeric powder and pepper powder for an hour

Biriyani Masala-
Onions - 4  large ones - thinly sliced
Tomatos - 4 large ones - dice it small
Ginger- 2 inch piece
Garlic - 10 cloves
Green chilly - 3-4 (depending on the heat tolerance)
Coriander leaves - one cup - washed and stemmed
Mint leaves - one cup - washed and stemmed
Pepper powder - 11/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
Briyani Masala -1 tbsp ( I used  Eastern Biriyani Masala)
Juice of half a lemon
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Before cooking - Grind the ginger-garlic-chilly to a coarse paste
The vessel to cook the masala will be used for dum as well.So use  a heavy bottomed one with a lid.

Garnishing-
Coriander leaves - a handful
Thinly sliced onions - deep fried in ghee
Raisins and Cashews - roasted in ghee

 

Method:

Step1 - Prepare the Rice

1.Boil 4 cups of water.Add half the whole spices,1 tsp ghee,rose water,lemon juice and salt.Let it boil and keep aside.

2.In another pan, add the rest of ghee,remaining whole spices and saute.

3.When the spices give out smell, add the washed and drained biriyani rice and mix well.

4.When the rice starts crackling and mixed well with the ghee, add the boiled water.

5.Let it cook on medium - high flame for 10-15 mins - closed.

6.When all the water has absorbed,switch off the flame and let it rest.

Step 2-Fry the Fish

1.Fry the marinated fish slices in vegetable oil

2.Set it aside on a tissue paper

Step 3-Fry for the Garnish

1.Fry the sliced onions in ghee till they are golden brown.Keep aside

2.In the same oil - fry the raisens and cashew.Keep aside

Step 4 - Prepare the Masala

1. In the same oil used in step 3, cook the onions for masala.Add a little salt so that they caramelise well.

2.Add the ginger-garlic-chilly paste.Cook till it loses the raw smell.

3.Add the tomatoes and cook till it softens.

4.Add all the masalas and saute.

5.Add the coriander and mint leaves and cook the mixture covered for 5 mins.

6.Add the lemon juice.(if your tomatoes are very tangy already, you can decide how much to add lemon juice.)

7.Adjust all the masalas-the salt,spice,tangyness - everything should balance and suit your taste).

8.Add a little water to adjust the consistency - it should be like a thick gravy.

9.Add the fried fishes and cook covered for 5 mins.

Step 5- Dum

1.We will dum in the vessel where biriyani masala is cooked.

2.Transfer 3/4th of the masala from this vessel to another.Be careful with the fish pieces so that they don't break.

3.Over this remaining masala,spread a layer of rice.Sprinkle some garnishings.

4.Spread some masala over the rice now.Even out the fish pieces accordingly.

5.Repeat with another layer of rice and garnishings.

6.Repeat 4 & 5 till the entire masala and rice is used up. Normally can be done with 2 layers each.

7.The Top layer should be rice and bottom should be masala.

8.Finish with garnishings.

9.Wash a folded muslin/cotton cloth in water and squeeze of water completely.

10.Arrange this cloth along the rim of the vessel and cover with a lid.

11.Place something heavy like a mortar over this lid.

12.Keep the flame to lowest and let it cook for 20 minutes.

After 20 mins...

Biriyani is done!

Serve by scooping from sides, so that you get a good share of masala, rice and the garneshings.

Side it with raita/salad/papad/achar.

Enjoy!

Note:

1. If you cook the rice well, half the battle is won!

    A good biriyani should have perfectly cooked rice.It should be fluffy and each individual grain should stand out.So use whichever rice works for you- basmati/jasmine rice etc.and the medium of cooking - open pot/cooker/microwave - follow that.

2. The amount of oil you should use is your own discretion.

   You can reduce the oil to half  or even use up a lot - like deep frying the onions(tellicherry style briyani uses deep fired onions -bistra) or chicken.

   You can replace ghee with vegetable oil or olive oil. 

   Biriyanis which are made with less oil are lighter, doesn't make you feel bloated and not to mention about the health benefits.

3. Dum time is very important.

   It cooks the rice completely.

   It infuses all the flavors - the rice and the masalas together- the very essence of a biriyani!

4. You can replace Fish with Chicken/Egg/Paneer/Mushrooms/Vegtables.

   Chicken can be deep fried and then added to the masala Or cook it along with the masalas for some 15- 20 mins if not fried.