Fish Biryani

Tender fish, infused with spices, layered with fragrant basmati rice, and cooked to perfection—every spoonful bursts with flavor, making it a must-try for fish lovers!
Ingredients
For Fish:
500g fish fillet (your choice), cut into pieces
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp cumin powder
Juice of 1 lemon
For Masala:
4-5 onions, finely sliced and fried until golden
3 tomatoes, chopped
2-3 tbsp tomato paste or puree
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 cup yogurt, well-whipped
1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped (optional)
2-3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1 green chili, chopped
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Oil as needed
For Basmati Rice:
3 cups Royal® Chef’s SecretTM Basmati Rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
2 tbsp oil
Whole spices (4 cardamom pods, 2-3 cinnamon sticks, 2-3 cloves)
Salt, to taste
A few saffron strands, soaked in water
Food coloring (optional)
Preparation
Prepare the Fish:
- Marinate the fish fillets with red chili powder, salt, turmeric, garlic paste, cumin powder, and lemon juice. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the marinated fish for 2-3 minutes on each side, until just cooked enough to hold its shape. Set aside.
Prepare the Masala:
- In the same pan, heat 1/4 cup oil. Fry the sliced onions until golden.
- Remove half of the onions and set aside. Leave the rest in the pan.
- Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan with the onions and cook on medium-low heat until softened.
- Stir in ginger, garlic, and tomato paste. Cook for a few minutes, then add the whisked yogurt and continue cooking until well combined, and oil starts to separate.
- Add chili powder, turmeric, cumin powder, green chili, and some coriander to the yogurt mixture.
- Gently add the fried fish and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. Add a splash of water if needed.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Prepare the Rice:
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil.
- Add salt, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and 2 tbsp oil.
- Once boiling, add the soaked Royal® Chef’s SecretTM Basmati Rice and cook until 3/4 done. Drain and set aside.
Layer the Biryani:
- In the same pot, layer half the partially cooked rice.
- Add the fish masala on top, followed by the reserved fried onions, coriander, and mint leaves.
- Top with the remaining rice.
Steam the Biryani:
- Drizzle saffron water and a little food coloring over the rice.
- Seal the pot with a lid and cook on low heat (dim) for 10 minutes or bake in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes.
- Fluff up the layers of the biryani and serve hot with raita or your favorite chutney.
Note: You can omit the food coloring and still achieve vibrant color with saffron alone.