Fish Dum Biryani - Bengali Style

          There are many posts in my blog on Fish. So now comes in a Biryani form. Simple and delicious, I added some potatoes in it in a true Bong style and with minimum of spices. So it can be had guilt free with some raita. So check out the step by step method with pictures to prepare it.

• 5-6 pieces of Rohu fish
• 1-2 potatoes, boiled & cubed
• 1 & 1/2 cups rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 5-6 cloves
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste / 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• handful of coriander & mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup fried onions
• 4-5 fresh red / green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. rose / kewra water
• 2-3 tbsp. ghee
• pinch of saffron soaked in 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. lime juice

          Marinate the fish and the potatoes separately with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. 

          To prepare the rice - Bring sufficient water to boil along with salt, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Add the rice and simmer till it is almost done (al dente). Drain and keep aside.
           
          Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish pieces on both sides till golden in colour. Drain and keep aside.

          In the same oil, fry the potatoes till light golden in colour. Drain and keep aside. In the same oil sauté the onion till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the dry spices mixed with a little water. Fry on a medium flame till the oil separates.

          Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Gently drop in the fish and cover. Simmer by carefully flipping it over halfway and till the gravy is reduced. When done, carefully remove the fish pieces and keep them separately.

          To assemble - In a heavy bottomed broad pan add 1 tsp. oil and sprinkle some water. (This will prevent the Biryani from sticking at  the bottom). Layer half of the rice first.

          Then add the gravy, fried potatoes, half of the mint-coriander leaves, half of the slit chilies and half of the fried onion. Spread the remaining rice over it, followed by the fish pieces, remaining mint-coriander leaves, chilies and fried onion.

          Drizzle the saffron milk, ghee and rose water. Cover and cook on dum for 10-12 minutes by placing the pan on a heated tawa / griddle. When done, garnish with coriander leaves and a dash of lime. Serve with raita.






Note- 
If preferred you can always increase the amount of gravy and ghee in the recipe.

                       Marinate fish & potatoes separately with a pinch of salt & turmeric 

                       powder for 10 min. 

                   Bring sufficient water to boil with salt, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms 
                   and cloves.

                                 Add rice & simmer till it is almost done (al dente). 

                                  Drain & keep aside.

                          Heat oil & fry fish pieces till golden in colour. Drain & keep aside.

                    In the same oil, fry potatoes till light golden in colour. Drain & keep aside. 

                                  In the same oil sauté onion till light brown.

                     Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & all dry spices mixed with some water. 
                     Fry on a medium flame till oil separates.

                         Add 1 cup water & bring to a boil. Gently drop in the fish & cover. 

                       Simmer by carefully flipping it over halfway & till gravy is reduced. 
                       When done, carefully remove fish pieces & keep them separately.

                     Layer half rice followed by the gravy, fried potatoes, half of the mint
                     -coriander leaves, half of the chilies & half fried onion. 

                    Spread remaining rice over it, followed by fish pieces, remaining chilies, 
                    mint-coriander leaves & fried onion.

                    Drizzle saffron milk, ghee & rose water. Cover & cook on dum for 10-12 min.
                    by placing the pan on a heated tawa / griddle. 

                           Garnish with coriander leaves & a dash of lime. Serve with raita.