Scheherazade Biryani by Zarnak Sidhwa

Ingredients:

To Marinate fish:

• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder 1 tbsp
• Corn flour (dissolved in water) 1 tsp
• Eggs 2

For Biryani:

• Ghee 3 tbsp
  Whole garam masala (cloves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black cardamoms, cinnamon stick, button red chillies, mace, cumin seeds, caraway seeds) 2 tbsp
• Onions 3
• Ginger paste 2 tbsp
• Garlic paste 2 tbsp
• Tomatoes 2
• Coriander 3 tbsp
• Yogurt 1/2 cup
• Rice 1 kg
• Fish fillets (cubed) 1/2 kg
• Oil 3 tbsp
• Cumin seeds 2 tsp
• Capsicum (diced) 1
• Green peas ½ cup
• Cashew nuts 50 gm
• Raisins 50 gm
• Saffron 1 tsp
• Kewra water 2 tbsp OR
• Rose water 2 tbsp
• Mint 1 bunch
• Red chilli powder 1 tbsp
• Fried onions (to garnish) 4 tbsp

Method:

1. Marinate fish cubes with salt, pepper, turmeric, garam masala, corn flour, egg. Leave for a while.
2. Melt ghee in a pan.
3. Add garam masala, onion, ginger paste and garlic paste.
4. Sauté and add chopped tomato, coriander and yogurt.
5. Add earlier soaked rice, saffron and water as required.
6. When the rice is nearly done, put a tight lid on and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Deep fry the marinated fish in hot oil.
8. Keep aside.
9. In another pan, heat some oil and put cumin seeds.
10. Add diced capsicum and onion and sauté.
11. Add some gravy made with tomato puree, ginger, garlic paste and onions, cook till oil separates.
12. Add the fried fish and fold into gravy.
13. Remove the lid from rice. Add kewra or rose water.
14. Before serving, in a flat platter put one layer of rice and one layer of fish masala.
15. Garnish with fried onions.
16. Layer again with fish and then rice.
17. End with a topping of fried onion, mint, cashews and raisins.