Fish Dhum Biriyani

 Fish biriyani became one of our favourites .This was introduced to us ,by Saras, when she gave box full of this yummy biriyani.From  then 'H' wanted to have this often.We can either use fish fillets or the whole fish sliced.In this,marinated fish is partly fried ,mixed with the gravy and finally layered with the rice.This biriyani needs lot of onion ,because it should be able to prepare a good gravy.I have given the steps in a detailed manner, but the whole process is easy to prepare.Prepare this biriyani and make your Sundays colourfull.

Ingredients:

For the  gravy :

1.Tilapia fish fillets            -          15 pieces

2.Onion                           -           3 (big)

3.Green chillies                 -           2

4.Tomatoes                      -           2 (medium) or 1 cup curd

5.Ginger garlic paste         -           1 tsp

6.Chilli pwdr                     -           1 tbsp

7.Garam masala                -            1/2 tsp

8.Orange color                 -            a pinch

9.Cilantro                         -            1/2 cup (chopped)

10.Mint leaves                  -            1/2 cup (chopped)

11.Ghee                            -             3 tsp

For the rice:

1.Basmati rice                   -            3 cups

2.Water                            -            10 cups

3.Cinnamon                       -            1/2 inch

4.Bay leaf                          -            few

5.Cardamom                      -            3

6.Cloves                             -            4

7.Salt                                  -            1 tbsp

8.Oil                                   -              2 tsp

For Tempering :

1.Oil                                    -            1/2 cup

2.Cinnamon sticks                -            1/2 inch

3.Cardamom                        -            3

4.Bay leaves                         -            2

5.Cloves                               -            few

For marinating:

1.Chilli pwdr              -            1 tsp

2.Garam masala         -             1/2 tbsp

3.Ginger garlic paste   -             1 tsp

4.Lemon juice             -             1 tsp

5.Salt                          -             1/2 tsp

6.Turmeric pwdr          -             1/4 tsp

Method:

Marination:

* Wash the fish and drain it.

* Take a mixing bowl and add all the marination ingredients .

* Rub it with the fish and marinate it for 1/2 an hour in the fridge.

Cooking the rice:

Wash and soak the rice  for half an hour.Drain it for 20 mins.

* When the gravy is half cooked,start cooking the rice.

* Take a wide mouthed pan and add oil and splutter cinnamom sticks,cardamom ,cloves and bay leaves.

* Add water and bring it to rolling boil.

* Sprinkle salt and add the drained rice.

* Cook till it is 90 percent done.

* Strain the water and reserve it .

* The rice should not contain any water .

Preparing the gravy:

* Thinly slice the oninons ,slit the green chillies and cube the tomatoes.

* Take a pan,add oil and fry the fish partially on both the sides.

* In the same pan,add oil and temper with the ingredients under "for tempering" .

* Dump in the sliced onions and green chillies.

* Fry the onions well,till it turns golden brown.This is the very essential step for a tasty biriyani.

* Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle salt to cook them quickly.

* Let the oil separate from the masala.

* Add chilli pwdr,garam masala pwdr to the gravy.

* Saute till the masala looses its raw smell.

* Add the chopped mint and cilantro,saut it for a while.

* Now add the partly fried fish to the gravy and cook for a minute covered .

* After a minute ,take the fish with some gravy out.

Layering the biriyani:

* Now the pan has half the gravy.

* Layer it with cooked rice .

* Again layer the fish with gravy.

* Sprinkle orange color,ghee and cilantro.

* Tightly cover the pan  with a plate and place the reserved water on the top.

* Leave it for 20 mins .

* Remove the fish slices and fluff the rice with fork.

* Shred two pieces of fish and mix it with the rice.

* Serve rice with cooked fish.

* Serve it with raitha.

Note:

* Fish should not be fried fully.

* The rice should be cookeD 90 % ,if not the biriyani wont taste good.

* while layering ,the rice should be hot.

* Dont use laddle to mix the rice,always use fork.

* We can also use 1/2 cup of curd instead of tomatoes.