KOKANI MUSLIM FISH BIRYANI

The Kokani Muslims are an ethnic clan native to coastal belts of Maharashtra and have seafood at the heart of their cuisine.
​So, today on the occasion of #PulaoBiryaniDay , here is a family recipe of arriving at a flavourful & aromatic Kokani Muslim Fish Biryani handed down from my grandmother to my mother to me.

Serves: 3-4
Prep Time: 30 - 40 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:
For the biryani masala:
3 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tbsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Garam masala powder
½ tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
2 cups Tomatoes, peeled & finely chopped
¼ cup Coconut paste (fresh)
¼ cup Curd, beaten
1 tsp Salt

For frying the fish:
5-6 Fillets of pomfret or any other fish (approx. total weight 500 gm)
1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
½ tsp Cumin powder
½ tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Lemon juice
¼ tsp Salt
2 tbsp Oil

For assembling the biryani:
1 ½ cups Long-grain rice
4 cups Water for boiling + 2 cups for soaking + additional for washing the rice
2 tsp Salt
1 Bay leaf
4-5 Black peppercorns
3-4 Green cardamoms
3-4 Cloves
1 Cinnamon piece (about 2 inches)
3 tbsp Ghee, melted
¼ cup Warm milk infused with 8-10 saffron strands
2 drops Orange food colour dissolved in ¼ cup warm water
1 cup Spring onion greens, chopped
1 cup Birista (golden fried onions)
½ cup Fresh green coriander, finely chopped
½ cup Fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp Lemon juice
Roti dough for sealing the cooking vessel

Method:
For the biryani masala:
1. Heat the oil in a pan on low flame until hot.
2. Add all the dry spice powders and fry for 30 seconds.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste & fry for another 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the tomatoes & turn up the flame to medium heat. Cook until tomatoes turn soften & masala becomes semi-dry.
5. Add in curd, coconut paste, salt to the tomato mix & cook for 2 minutes before pulling off the stove. Keep aside.

For frying the fish:
1. Make a spice paste by mixing all ingredients except the fish fillets & oil.
2. Rub the fish fillets with the spice paste coating them evenly in it on all sides.
3. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat and fry the fillets for a minute on each side.
4. Pull off the stove & keep aside.

For assembling the biryani:
1. Wash the basmati rice 2-3 times then soak it for 20 minutes in water.
2. Boil 4 cups of water with salt, bay leaf, black peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom & cinnamon.
3. Drain the water in which rice is soaked and add rice to the boiling water.
4. Cook rice until almost done. Pull off the stove and drain excess water.
5. Take a deep bottom vessel & line it with half the rice.
6. Sprinkle this rice layer with half of each of these ingredients - ghee, saffron milk, colour water, birista, spring onion greens, green coriander, mint leaves & lemon juice.
7. Spread half the biryani masala layer on top of this layer.
8. Place the fried fish fillets on the biryani masala layer.
9. Spread the remaining half of biryani masala over the fish fillets.
10. Spread half of the remaining ghee, saffron milk, colour water, birista, spring onion greens, green coriander, mint leaves & lemon juice on the biryani masala layer.
11. Cover this layer with the remaining rice.
12. Garnish the rice with the remaining ghee, saffron milk, colour water, birista, spring onion greens, green coriander, mint leaves & lemon juice.
13. Cover the vessel & seal it with dough.
14. Cook on low heat for 20 - 25 minutes.
15. Pull the vessel off the stove but do not open immediately. Let it stand for 15 minutes before opening the vessel.
16. Remove the top rice layer delicately first, then pull out fish with masala & then final layer of rice in separate dishes.
17. Assemble the fish fillets with the masala topped on a bed of rice for serving.
18. Serve hot along with curd raita.

So, do try out this recipe and let me know how it turned out.
​Till then, HAPPY COOKING...

(PS: This recipe has appeared in the Mumbai Mirror on Page 31 today. Here is the link to the epaper to find same: http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/index.aspx?eid=31821&dt=20170625# )