Fish Biriyani / Pomfret Biriyani

Biryani is familiar to all. Chicken biryani, mutton biryani, Hyderabadi, Mughlai, Malabari etc. But fish biryani is not common. If you look at the menu in any restaurants, It may be available in very limited restaurants.  I used to try different types of fish biryanis but mainly with kingfish (Ayakkora / Surumai) or prawns. I wanted to try something different and made with Pomfret. So if you all love Pomfret, try this out!!

Ingredients

For masala

1. Pomfret                     -  2 Big (clean and cut into pieces)
2. Onion                        -  7 nos
3. Tomato                      -  4 nos (if large,take 3 nos)
4. Green chillies            -  10 nos
5. Ginger paste              -  2 tbsp
6. Garlic paste               -  2 tbsp
7. Red chilly powder     -  3/4  tbsp
8. Garam masala           -  2 tsp (or Biriyani Masala)
9. Curd                          -  3 tbsp
10. Cinnamon                 -  2 pieces
11. Cloves                       -  3 nos
12. Lemon                       -  1
13. Coconut oil               -   1/4 cup
14. Coriander leaves       -  1/2 cup
15. Curry leaves              -  1 tbsp
16. Salt

For rice

1. Rice                       -  4 cup
2. Cashew, raisins     -  1/2 cup
3. Water                     -  6 cup
4. Onion                    -  1 small + 1 big
5. cinnamon,cloves   - 2 each
6. cardamom, pepper -  2 each
7. Mint leaves           -  2 tbsp
8. Coconut oil           -  3 tbsp + 2 tbsp
9. Ghee                     -  2 tbsp
10. Salt

Preparation

Biriyani Masala

1. Marinate pomfret with red chilli powder, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, salt, lemon juice and keep it aside for 2 hours.
2. Heat oil in a pan, place pomfret in it and do medium fry. If you make it deep fry, you will not get the real taste of Pomfret and it will become hard. Remove it from oil and keep aside.
3. In the same oil, saute the onions until translucent. Add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and mix well.
4. Now add cinnamon, cloves and tomato and saute for 5 minutes.
5. Put curd, Garam masala, salt, coriander leaves, curry leaves, 1 tbsp mint leaves and saute again for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add fried Pomfret to this masala and mix well. Take care not to break the fish into pieces.
7. Biriyani masala is ready and now we can prepare ghee rice.

Ghee rice

1. Clean rice and soak this in water for 1/2 hour.Strain excess water.
2. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a thick bottomed pan and fry one onion, cashew, raisins till golden brown. Keep this aside for garnishing.
3. Add another 2 tbsp oil and saute one onion, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, pepper.
4. Add 6 cups of water and required salt.
   
5. when it starts to boil add rice, 1 tbsp mint leaves and cook till done.

Dum process

1. Take a bottom thick saucepan and Spread half of the pomfret's masala and place half of the rice over it. Sprinkle some lemon juice to prevent the rice from sticking, garam masala, coriander leaves, fried onions, cashews and raisins.
   
2. Spread the remaining masala and top it with rice.
3. Pour the ghee/oil on top of it and sprinkle some garam masala, fried onion, cashew and raisins and cover tightly.
4. Cook for 5 minutes on a low flame.