Meen / Fish biriyani

One of my favorite. I prepare fish biriyani this way.

Ingredients
For Rice
1. Vayanadan matta rice – 2 cup
2. Mace – 1 piece
3. Bay leaf – 2
4. cinnamon stick – 1/2 inch piece
3. clove – 2
4. cardamom – 1
5. peppercorn – 5
6. salt to taste

For Fish fry
1. King fish – 2 steaks or 8 to 10 chunks
2. turmeric – 1/2 tsp
3. chilli powder – 1 tsp
4. coarsely ground pepper – 1/4 tsp
5. garam masala – 1/2 tsp
6. Salt to taste
7. refined oil or ghee – 1/4 cup

To grind
1. Ginger & Garlic chopped – 1/4 cup
2. Fresh scrapped coconut – 1/2 cup
3. Dry red chilli – 4
4. Mint leaves – 10 nos
5. Green chilli – 2

For Masala
1. Onions sliced- 3 cups
2. Tomatos chopped finely- 3 cups
3. Cinnamon stick – 1/2 inch piece
4. cloves – 2
5. cardamom – 1
6. Star anice – 1
7. Black cardamom – 1
8. cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp
9. sauf – 1/4 tsp
10. ghee – 2 tbsp
11. Corriander leaves
12. Mint leaves
13. Salt to taste
14. Coconut milk – 1 cup
15. Bay leaf – 2

To Fry fish
1. Cut each fish steaks into 4 pieces slicing horizontally and vertically
2. combine red chilli powder, pepper, salt, turmeric and garam masala
3. rub this mixture over each sides of the fish and set aside for minimum 30 minutes
4. Heat oil or ghee in a non stick pan
5. Fry the fish pieces till it is light golden brown
6. Strain and keep aside.

To prepare the fish masala
1. Grind Masala and keep closed.
2. In the same pan which we used to fry the fish pieces, add ghee
3. Add in cinnamin, clove, cardamom, star anice, black cardamom, cumin seeds, sauf
4. After it is heated, add onions and fry till translucent. Add tomatos , salt, and grinded paste
5. Fry well till the oil seperates and the raw smell of garlic and ginger disappears
6. Now add fish pieces and mix the masala and fish very well without breaking the pieces and till it is heated well.
7. Add in coconut milk mix well.
8. Add 4 tbsp chopped corriander leaves and remove from fire.

To prepare rice
1. Heat water in a deep vessel.
2. Add Bay leaves, cardomoms, pepper, cinnomon stick, mace, salt and the drained rice.
3. Once it is cooked 3/4 drain and set aside in a colander

To Assemble
1. Take a thick bottom deep vessel
2. Spread 1/3 of rice
3. Now spread the half the fish pieces and some of the gravy
4. sprinkle some chopped corriander and mint leaves
5. Spread the next 1/2 of the remaining rice
6. Now spread the remaining fish pieces and gravy
7. Spread some chopped corriander leave and mint leaves and finish it with rice
8. close the vessel with lid
9. cook in an extremely low flame for 20 minutes. By that time steam will come from top of the rice.

Serve hot.