Fish Biryani / Meen Biryani

Today I am sharing the recipe of Kerala Fish Biryani / Kerala Meen Biryani. Biryani is a  colourful dish made of  rice, spices, meat, fish, eggs or even vegetables. The word "Biryani" came from a Persian word "Biryan". This dish was originated in Iran and was bought to India by some Iran travelers and merchants. 

I never ever miss a chance to attend a Kerala Muslim wedding. Because I just love the biryani, they used to make. Its so aromatic and appetizing that we will be forced to have this dish. The last Muslim wedding I attended,  was my classmate's wedding and that too during my college days. :(....I am not saying that I didn't have biryani after that. The biryani that we get in the restaurants over here cant even come close to those which we get in Muslim Weddings back in India. So here comes my recipe.

Ingredients

Neimeen ~ 1/2 kg ( I used sword fish, you can even use king fish)

Basmati Rice ~ 2 cups

Ghee ~ 2 - 3 tbsp

Chilly powder

Coriander powder

Turmeric powder

Garam Masala

Onions ~ 1 No

Green chillies ~ 3-4 (Split lengthwise )

Garlic ~ 1 1/2 tbsp

Ginger ~ 1 1/2 tbsp

Tomato ~ 2 Nos

Curd ~ 1/3 cup

Chopped coriander leaves ~ 1/2 cup

Chopped mint leaves ~ 1/4 cup ( Optional )

Spices ~ ( Cardomam - 3 Nos, Cloves - 4 Nos, Bay leaves - 2 , Cinnamon stick - 1 small stick , Whole Pepper -  5 Nos )

Salt

Oil

To Garnish : 

Fried onions ~ 3/4 cup

Fried cashew nuts 

Fried raisins

Note: You can fry these either in oil or in ghee. 

Method

• Wash and cut the fish to medium size pieces. 

• Then marinate the fish pieces with 2 tsp chilly powder, 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder and enough salt. Refrigerate it for 15 minutes.

• Then shallow fry the fish pieces in oil till it becomes light brown in color. Then place the fried fish pieces on a paper towel.

• Then heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions, green chillies, garlic and ginger. Saute till onions become soft. Then add chopped tomato and fry till tomatoes are nicely done. Then lower the flame and add 2 tsp chilly powder, 3/4 tsp coriander powder, 1 pinch turmeric powder and 1/4 tsp garam masala. and fry for less than a minute. Then add fried fish pieces along with curd,salt  and  1/2 cup water. Cook covered for another 5-10 minutes.Then mix coriander leaves and mint leaves and remove from the flame. Note: The gravy should be thick. 

•  Wash the rice and drain it nicely. Then heat ghee / oil in a vessel and fry crushed spices for 1 minute, and then add rice and fry for about 6-7 minutes. Then add 4 cups of hot water and salt. Cook covered till the rice is fully cooked and the water is completely absorbed by the rice.

• Preheat an oven at 400 F.Then grease a big vessel (Oven Safe) and transfer half of the rice to that vessel. Then add some fried onions, fried cashew nuts and raisins. Then spread the fish masala evenly over it. Then again layer the rest of the rice along with e fried onions, fried cashew nuts and fried raisins. Then cover it nicely with a lid or an aluminium foil and keep it in the oven for 10-15 minutes. 

•  Or you can even keep it in a very low flame for about 10 minutes.

Serve hot with Raita and Hard boiled eggs.

Cheers,