Fish Biryani

Biryani is one of my favorite dishes. Biryani from the northern part of India hugely varies from the one that is made in the Southern part. In north it is slightly sweetened by adding raisins, where as in the south it is spiced up a little bit more by adding some extra spices. As we eat lots of spicy food in the southern part of India - I love the spicy version biryani. The city (Hyderabad) I come from is especially famous for Biryani, although Hyderabadi biryani is made using chicken or mutton. I made a slightly healthy version of biryani by using fish. [Although, I love biryani which is made with chicken].The process is slightly big but it is totally worth to make it.

Ingredients:

Fish (boneless) - 500 gms
Salt - to taste
Chilli powder - to taste
Green chilli paste - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Biryani masala - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Green cardamon - 2 pods
Black cardamom - 1 pod
Bay leaf - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Oil - 5 tbsp
Onion (medium) - 3
Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch
Dried fenugreek leaves - 1 tbsp
Yogurt - 1 cup
Rice - 2 cups
Shahi jeera - 1 tsp
Food color - 1 pinch
Fried onions - 1 cup
Cashew nuts - 15 to 20

I. Preparation Fish -

1. Clean the fish and cut it in to 1 inch cubes. 
2. Add 1tsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp lemon juice and mix well. 
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry each fish piece delicately. Make sure that the fish is cooked on both the sides. Cook only until the fish is 80 percent done. 
4. Remove from the flame and take these pieces on a separate bowl. 

II. Preparation Gravy - 

1. Heat 3 table spoons oil in a pan. Add sliced onions and fry till they turn brown. 
2. Add yogurt slowing on slow flame and keep mixing. 
3. Add chilli powder, salt, 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, biryani masala, green chilli paste, ginger garlic paste, 1/2 tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, fenugreek leaves and mix well.   
4. Adjust the seasoning at this point. Spiciness has to be on the higher side as it will be diluted later when layered with rice. 
5. Add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well and remove from flame.

III. Preparation Rice -

1. Soak the rice for about 1 hour. 
2. Boil water in a large vessel. Add 1/2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp shahi jeera, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, green cardamom and black cardamom to the boiling water. 
3. Add the soaked rice to the above spiced water and let it cook till the rice is 90 pecent done. 
4. Drain the water from the spiced rice rice and keep it aside

IV. Preparation biryani -

1. Take some water and mix the food color in it. 
2. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the cashew nuts till they slightly change their color. 
3. Take a oven proof bowl. Add a layer of spiced rice from step III.
4. On the rice add a layer of the spiced gravy from step II. 
5. Add some chopped coriander leaves and sprinkle some colored from step 1. 
6. Add another layer of rice and add the spiced fish from step I.
7. On top of the fish add a layer of the gravy and repeat step 4.
8. Finally finish off with the last layer with the remaining rice.
9. Add the remaining coriander leaves, fried onions and sprinkle colored water. In the end add the cashew nuts on the top.
10. Close the oven proof bowl tightly with a lid and put it in the oven for about 15 to 20 mins at 180 degrees centigrade.

Enjoy with raita on the side!!!!!!