Fish Biryani | Spicy King Fish Biryani

Fish Biryani tops my favorite list. I enjoyed Fish Biryani the most on my trip to Kerela. The taste and aroma still lingers in my memories. It all depends on the method of preparing it, unlike other biryanis, fish being the most delicate of all types of meat. Extra care should be taken to keep the pieces intact and looking good.


A simple trick is to fry the fish first. By frying, it gains firmness and easy to handle. Many times I hear people saying that they do not like fish biryani due to the smell. Even if the fish is fresh, the fat in the fish releases some kind of fishy smell. 

You can get rid of that smell by shallow frying the fish first and then adding it to the gravy, and it really adds to the taste of the fish. I have tried my best to simplify the whole procedure as much as possible. 

The best fish biryani I have ever tasted is by my Mom and then comes my friend Tanaz. Both have different ways of preparing it, and this is the combination of both the recipes.

Tips for a perfect biryani:

• The rice should be cooked perfectly (not overcooked)
• While layering for dum, the gravy should be hot. 
• The steam should be formed within 10 to 15 minutes after it has been set for dum cooking.
• Biryani should always be served hot.

Serves 4 or 5
Marination Time: 1 hour 
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours (approx)
* While fish is marinating, you can prepare the gravy.

Ingredients

For Fish Preparation ( Mix together and marinate for 1 hour)

• 800 gms King Fish slices
• 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
• 2 tbsp or more red chili powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vinegar
• Salt
• Cooking oil for shallow frying

For Biryani Masala Paste (grind together to fine paste)

• Dry roast in a pan - 4 cardamom, 1 tsp peppercorns, 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, 5 to 6 cloves, small piece on cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp fennel seeds (badi saunf)
•  1 small onion chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic chopped
• 2 inch piece of ginger chopped
• 3 green chilies
• 5 to 6 curry leaves

For Gravy 

• 2 large onion sliced
• 1 large tomato chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato puree 
• 1 tbsp yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 2 green chilies with slits
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 cup chopped coriander
• Biryani masala paste
• Salt.
• 1/4 cup cooking oil

For Rice Preparation:

• 4 cups of basmati rice (use top quality)
• 1 bay leaf
• Big stick of Cinnamon
• 3 to 4 cardamom
• 1 dried lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1/4 cup oil
• Salt
• Water to cook the rice.

For Dum Cooking:

• 1/2 cup fried onion
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup milk with yellow food color
• 1 tsp rose essence
• Few strands of saffron
• 1 tbsp shahi jeera

 Preparation:

1. Clean the fish and marinate with above mentioned ingredients for 1 hour.
2. Wash the rice till water runs clean and soak for 30 minutes.
3. Make the biryani masala paste and keep ready.
4. Chop 2 large onion, 1 big tomato, mint leaves, green chilies and coriander leaves.
5. Keep all dum cooking ingredients ready.
6. Fried onion is optional, it is ok if you don't add.

Method: 

1)Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry onion till light golden.

2)Add biryani masala paste and fry for 2 minutes.

3) Now add all other ingredients like 1 large tomato chopped, 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, 2 green chilies with slits.

4) Saute for a minute and add, 1 tbsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 2 tbsp tomato puree and 1 tbsp yogurt.

5) Finally add salt and coriander leaves and cook on low flame for 15 minutes. Add some water if needed.

6) While the gravy is cooking, you can start shallow frying the fish. Fry on both sides for 5 minutes each till the fish is almost cooked. Do not overcook.

7) Keep a large vessel with enough water to cook 4 cups of rice. When the water starts to boil add salt, 1 bay leaf, 1 big stick of cinnamon, 3 to 4 cardamom, 1 dried lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp vinegar, 4 tbsp of cooking oil.

8) Add the soaked rice to the water and cook till 90 % done. Keep a close eye on this process as it takes only 10 to 12 minutes.

9) Once the rice is cooked, sieve it in a colander and drain all the water.

10) Take a large thick bottom vessel for dum cooking. And pour the gravy as first layer. 

11) Keep the fried fish over it as second layer.

12) Spread half of the cooked rice over the meat and drizzle half of milk, half of fried onion (a handful), half of chopped coriander, half of shahi jeera.

13) Repeat the step 12 with remaining cooked rice and dum ingredients.

14)Make a deep 2 or 3 dents in the rice so that the steam can circulate easily within the vessel. 

15)Pour some ghee or butter over the rice and seal the vessel with a foil and a tight lid. (to avoid the steam from escaping)

16)Cook on medium low heat for 15 minutes. You will see the foil has puffed up due to the steam. Switch off the gas and let the biryani stay covered for another 15 minutes.

17) Serve hot with Raita or salad.

 

Recipe Summary

Ingredients

For Fish Preparation ( Mix together and marinate for 1 hour)

• 800 gms King Fish slices
• 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
• 2 tbsp or more red chili powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vinegar
• Salt
• Cooking oil for shallow frying

For Biryani Masala Paste (grind together to fine paste)

• Dry roast in a pan - 4 cardamom, 1 tsp peppercorns, 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, 5 to 6 cloves, small piece on cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp fennel seeds (badi saunf)
•  1 small onion chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic chopped
• 2 inch piece of ginger chopped
• 3 green chilies
• 5 to 6 curry leaves

For Gravy 

• 2 large onion sliced
• 1 large tomato chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato puree 
• 1 tbsp yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 2 green chilies with slits
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 cup chopped coriander
• Biryani masala paste
• Salt.
• 1/4 cup cooking oil

For Rice Preparation:

• 4 cups of basmati rice (use top quality)
• 1 bay leaf
• Big stick of Cinnamon
• 3 to 4 cardamom
• 1 dried lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1/4 cup oil
• Salt
• Water to cook the rice.

For Dum Cooking:

• 1/2 cup fried onion
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup milk with yellow food color
• 1 tsp rose essence
• Few strands of saffron
• 1 tbsp shahi jeera

 Preparation:

1. Clean the fish and marinate with above mentioned ingredients for 1 hour.
2. Wash the rice till water runs clean and soak for 30 minutes.
3. Make the biryani masala paste and keep ready.
4. Chop 2 large onion, 1 big tomato, mint leaves, green chilies and coriander leaves.
5. Keep all dum cooking ingredients ready.
6. Fried onion is optional, it is ok if you don't add.

Method: 

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry onion till light golden.
2. Add biryani masala paste and fry for 2 minutes.
3. Now add all other ingredients like 1 large tomato chopped, 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, 2 green chilies with slits.
4. Saute for a minute and add, 1 tbsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 2 tbsp tomato puree and 1 tbsp yogurt.
5. Finally add salt and coriander leaves and cook on low flame for 15 minutes. Add some water if needed.
6. While the gravy is cooking, you can start shallow frying the fish. Fry on both sides for 5 minutes each till the fish is almost cooked. Do not overcook.
7. Keep a large vessel with enough water to cook 4 cups of rice. When the water starts to boil add salt, 1 bay leaf, 1 big stick of cinnamon, 3 to 4 cardamom, 1 dried lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp vinegar, 4 tbsp of cooking oil.
8. Add the soaked rice to the water and cook till 90 % done. Keep a close eye on this process as it takes only 10 to 12 minutes.
9. Once the rice is cooked, sieve it in a colander and drain all the water.
10. Take a large thick bottom vessel for dum cooking. And pour the gravy as first layer. 
11. Keep the fried fish over it as second layer.
12. Spread half of the cooked rice over the meat and drizzle half of milk, half of fried onion (a handful), half of chopped coriander, half of shahi jeera.
13. Repeat the step 12 with remaining cooked rice and dum ingredients.
14. Make a deep 2 or 3 dents in the rice so that the steam can circulate easily within the vessel. 
15. Pour some ghee or butter over the rice and seal the vessel with a foil and a tight lid. (to avoid the steam from escaping)
16. Cook on medium low heat for 15 minutes. You will see the foil has puffed up due to the steam. Switch off the gas and let the biryani stay covered for another 15 minutes.
17. Serve hot with Raita or salad.