All you need to know about Fish Biryani
Biryani is a layered meat and rice dish with roots in Persian cuisine. Biryani is usually made with meat (chicken, mutton/goat meat, or beef) but there are seafood options in which Biryani can also be used such as this fish biryani as well as prawn biryani.
There is also vegetable biryani though most hardcore meat lovers end up calling vegetable biryani pulao. Either way, whatever the protein used, biryani is delicious!
Fish Biryani:
Fish biryani is a layered fish and rice dish from the Indian sub-continent This recipe is of the Pakistani style fish biryani made with boneless fish and layered with aromatic Basmati rice and a flavorful fish biryani masala. Serve hot with raita on the side. Here’s all you need to know about Fish Biryani.
Here’s Fish Biryani recipe for you:
Fish biryani is a layered fish and rice dish from the Indian subcontinent. This recipe is of the Pakistani style fish biryani made with boneless fish and layered with aromatic Basmati rice and a flavorful fish biryani masala.
All the ingredients you need to know to make Fish Biryani:
For the fish marinade:
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon of coriander seeds crushed
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste substitute with ½ teaspoon ginger paste and ½ teaspoon garlic paste
• 500 g boneless fish fillets see note 1
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup oil divided
Fish biryani masala (aka qorma) whole spices:
• 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds crushed
• 3 cardamom pods elaichi
• 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaf
• 1-inch stick of cinnamon
Fish biryani masala (aka qorma) gravy ingredients:
• 300 g / 2 medium onions
• 250 g / 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste substitute with ½ teaspoon ginger paste and ½ teaspoon garlic paste
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder whole spices powder
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
For the rice:
• 2 ½ cups / 500g basmati rice
• 2 bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
For the garnish:
• ½ cup cilantro/coriander leaves
• ¼ cup mint leaves
• ½ lemon cut into slices
• 2 green chilies cut into half
Here are the all the instructions of cooking you need to know about Fish Biryani
Marinating and frying the fish
1. Place the red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, crushed coriander seeds, lemon juice, and ginger garlic paste in a small bowl. Mix well, and then apply the paste to the boneless fish fillets. Leave the fish to marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Heat ½ cup oil in a shallow frying pan. The same pan will be used to make the fish masala later so pick a medium-large sized pan.
3. Once the oil is hot enough, add the marinated fish and shallow fry for about 1 ½ – 2 minutes on each side till the fish is almost cooked through. Remove the fried fish and set aside.
For the fish masala gravy (qorma):
1. In the same pan add the remaining ½ cup oil along with the sliced onions.
2. Cook the onion, until they become golden brown and crispy. Don’t let them burn – they will turn bitter. Take about 2 tablespoons of the crispy onions for the topping.
3. Add the whole spices and fry for a minute, and then add the ginger garlic paste.
4. Fry for another minute, and then add the chopped tomatoes along with the powdered spices, along with any leftover spices from the fish marinade.
5. Once the tomatoes and powdered spices have been added, saute on medium-high heat till the water from the tomatoes dries up, and they get soft and caramelized. It may be necessary to add a tablespoon or two of water as needed to ensure that the spices don’t burn. This stop is called ‘phono’ in Indian and Pakistani cooking, and it requires cooking at a medium-high flame, while stirring every couple of seconds – this ensures that the rawness from the powdered spices goes away, while also ensuring that the gravy comes together. The step is complete when the oil separates from the sides and rises to the top.
6. Once the fish biryani masala mixture is ready, set it aside.
Prepare the rice:
1. Start preparing the rice, after the fish has been set to marinate.
2. Thoroughly wash the Basmati rice, and soak it in water for 15 minutes.
3. Place a medium pot over medium-high heat and bring 1 ½ liter of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice along with salt, bay leaf, and cloves. Wait for it to come to a boil, and then cook for around 5 minutes. The rice should be about 65% cooked – test by breaking the rice with your finger or tasting it (this is what I do). The rice should have a bite to it – it shouldn’t be raw, and it shouldn’t be cooked completely. Drain the rice, and set aside.
Layering and Steaming (Dum)
1. Take a large pot or dutch oven – it should be enough to fit the rice, the fish, and the masala and still have 2 – 3 inches of space from the top.
2. Layer ⅓ rice at the bottom, and then add ⅓rd of the fish masala gravy. Top with another ⅓ of the rice, followed by the fish masala gravy, and ½ of the fish pieces. Top with the remaining rice, the remaining fish masala gravy, and the fried fish.
3. Sprinkle with coriander/cilantro leaves, mint leaves, the remaining fried onions, lemon slices, and green chilies.
4. Cover the pot and layer the lid with aluminum foil, or kitchen cloth to seal the lid tightly. This is important as it helps in ensuring that the steam doesn’t escape. A heavy weight can be kept on the lid as well to help in this step.
5. Place the pot on an insulator – this can be a Tawa, a flat griddle, or a heat diffuser (available at Asian and Indian stores). If you have a cast iron Dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pan, this diffuser isn’t necessary. Turn the heat to medium for about 5 – 7 minutes. This will help in creating the steam.
6. Once the steam is formed, turn the heat to low / simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes on ‘dum’ – this means that the rice will cook in its own steam. Turn off the stove, and let the biryani rest for 10 minutes.
7. To serve, carefully mix the biryani using a small plate or a rice spoon. Move the rice from the sides, and lightly mix ensuring that the rice and the fried fish don’t break. Serve the hot and delicious fish biryani with yogurt or raita.
