Surmai Fish Biryani: Satiate Your Seafood And Biryani Cravings
Image Credit: YouTube @Dawat e Rasoi

Biryanis are the most loved rice recipes all over the country. It is a rice dish mixed with meat and vegetables that originated among the Muslims of the Indian Continent. Rice cooked along with meat and vegetables and the balanced amount of spices serve as a power packed meal of all the nutrients in a single dish. Biryanis are available in varieties ranging from Chicken Biryani, Mutton Biryani, Fish Biryani, Prawns Biryani and much more.   The dum in which both the rice and meat cook together leave an essence of the meat in the whole rice. This essence got such power and magic to attract people and fall in love with it. 

Biryanis are available in almost all the regions of the country depending on their style of preparing it. There are Kolkata Biryani, Hyderabadi Biryani, Muradabadi Biryani, Lucknowi Biryani, all prepared in different ways having the taste of their own culture and state. Hyderabadi Biryani tops the list in popularity, because of the real Mughal taste in it. 

Here, sharing a recipe of unique ‘Fish Biryani’ to bring both the nutrients of seafood and the taste of Biryani fused together into one.

The word Biryani is derived from the Persian word Birian, meaning ‘fried before cooking’ and the Persian word for rice. It is believed this dish originated from Persia and was brought to India by the Mughals. Originally, Biryani used to be cooked over charcoal in an earthen pot leaving the earthy taste behind. Even now, there are ‘Handi Biryanis’ found across the country which give the taste and experience of the traditional biryanis.

 

Ingredients:

  • 750 grams Surmai Fish
  • 1.5 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
  • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1.5 tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
  • 2 tsp Cumin Powder
  • 4 tsp Coriander Powder
  • Salt for taste
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 5 Tbsp Oil
  • 5 Tbsp Fried Onions / Barista
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 8-10 Black Pepper
  • 8-10 Cloves
  • 6 Cardamoms
  • 2 Cinnamon Stick
  • 4 Bay Leaves
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 1 BIg Cardamom
  • 3 Chopped Tomatoes
  • 3 Crushed Green Chillies
  • Handful of Coriander Leaves
  • 750 grams Basmati Rice
  • 1 Tbsp Kewra Essence
  • A pinch of yellow food colour mixed with 2 Tbsp of Water

Method Of Preparation:

  1. Take a mixing bowl and add all the spices along with the lemon juice and ginger-garlic paste
  2. Coat the spices on the surmai fish and leave to marinate for half an hour
  3. Heat oil in a pan, add half teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 4-5 black pepper, 5 cloves, 2 bay leaves and three cardamoms to the oil; roast them
  4. Add the tomatoes and cook till turned mushy
  5. Now add the green chillies and two tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste and cook for about a minute
  6. Add the spices, salt, coriander leaves and barista; mix well
  7. Add one glass of water and leave the masala to be cooked at low flame and switch of the flame after five minutes
  8. Fry the marinated fish in a pan of oil
  9. Boil water in a heavy-bottomed vessel and add bay leaves, big cardamom, cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds, star anise, cloves and black pepper
  10. Add rice to the vessel and cook it 80-85% is done
  11. Now turn on the flame where the masala was cooked
  12. Add the fried fishes and cover the fish with rice over the top
  13. Add a fistful of fried onions and kewra and the food colour mixture
  14. Cover the lid with aluminium foil and a cover
  15. Cook for around 15 minute on low flame
  16. The Fish Biryani is ready to be served in a plate

Fish Biryani is there to be taken out on a plate and enjoyed.