King fish biryani/aikura biryani

Its the season for the king fish.The name itself implies the this how wonderful fleshy and succulent this fish is.Aikura ,as that's how its said in malayalam , is best consumed in its first catch.Its easy and quick cooking time delivers  the biryani  ,an easy dish at hand.Kishgfish is usually cut into very thin slices.Over frying them would lead to dryness,so quick tossing works best for this recipe. Now over to the recipe ......

Ingredients:

Kingfish/aikura 1 kl Washed ,cut iinto thin slices

 For the marinade:

Red chilli pwd.(kashmiri)1 tsp

Turmeric pwd 1 /2 tsp

Salt to taste

Curry powder(homemade)1 tsp

Marinate the fish in the above mentioned powders and fry for 5 minutes on each side .

The masala should only coat the fish .

For the biryani masala:

Onions 1 kl sliced 

Tomatoes 1/4 kl sliced 

Ginger paste 1 tsp

Garlic paste 1 tsp

Green chillies 2 / cup of rice (10 for 5 cups rice)

Powders required:

Garam masala 1 tsp

Pepper pwd 1 tsp

Turmeric pwd.1/4 tsp

Coriander pwd 1 tsp

Cumin pwd. 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Lemon . Juice of one lime

Mint leaves 1/4 cup

Coriander leaves 1/4 cup

Curry leaves 1 strand

For garnishing

Fried onions 

Fried cashews and raisins

Fried shallots made into paste 1 tbsp

For the rice:

Biryani rice/basmati ricep or any rice of choice 1 kl( washed and drained for 5 mints)

Whole garam Marsala:

Cinnamon 1 

Cloves 2 cardamom

Boiling water (1 and 1/2 cup = 1 cup rice)

Measure the rice and take cup measurement of water

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Fry the onions and nuts for garnishing and keep aside.

2. Fry the fish and keep aside.

3. In a pressure cooker ,saute the onions till soft brown color.

3 add the ginger,garlic paste and the green chillies.cook till raw smell disappears.

 4. Add all the pwds.mentioned above,stir well and close the lid.

5. cook for 3 whistle time 

6.check the masala And add the shallot paste

I added only Haif a glass of water.

7 add the lime juice and the leaves ,salt 

Add the fish and let ti simmer for 5 mints 

The masala is ready

Now for the rice:

Heat the oil 1/2 cup ghee/ butter

Saute the onions and add the whole garam masala

Add the boiling water and the salt

Add the rice and  once the water has evaporated cover and cook for 20 mints

Take another vessel ( itook the fish out )layer the masala on the bottom .

Layer the semi almost cooked rice on top

Then layer again the masala and the rice finally

Place fish pcs. On top

Garnish with onions and the nuts

Close the lid tight and cook at low heat for 10 mints

This is called dum cooking

The vapours should arise from the bottom,so prick holes throughout the dum layered rice . 

The taste and the aromas will remind oneself as to why its known as a delicacy....