Biriyani is a well loved item & Hilsa is one of those rare foods which Bengalis are weak at. Hilsa Biriyani offers you an irresistible combination of the rich biriyani & tasty hilsa.
Ingredients for preparing Hilsa Biriyani:
- Hilsa fillet : 500 gm
- Basmati rice : 500 gm
- Curd : 150 gm
- Saffron : ½ tsp (soak in ½ cup of milk)
- Onion : 2 pieces (sliced)
- Ginger paste : 1 tbsp
- Red chilli powder : 1 tsp
- Whole black pepper : ½ tsp
- Salt : to taste
- Sugar : ½ tsp
- Whole cinnamon : 1â€
- Whole cardamom : 2 pieces
- Whole clove : 2 pieces
- Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
- Mace powder : 1 tsp
- Nutmeg Powder : 1 tsp
- Essence (mitha attar) : 5 drops
- Kewra water : 1 tsp
- Rose water : 1 tsp
- Banaspati Ghee : 5 tbsp
- Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
- Coconut milk : ½ cup
- Milk : 150 ml
- Oil : 2 tbsp
Procedure for preparing Hilsa Biriyani:
- Marinate hilsa with curd, ginger, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, saffron & keep for 1 hour.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil.
- Add onion to the oil.
- Stir for 2 minutes.
- Add salt, sugar & coconut milk. Allow it to boil.
- Add marinated hilsa & cook till the fish becomes tender.
- Add 2 tbsp of ghee & remove from heat. Keep aside.
- Wash & soak rice. Drain out the water. Keep aside.
- Boil rice partly in water, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom & clove & strain.
- Grease a heavy bottom large vessel.
- Add 3 tbsp of ghee & heat.
- Lay ½ of the rice & then the fish mixture & again the remaining rice.
- Add saffron, essence, rose water, kewra water, milk, garam masala powder, nutmeg & mace powder.
- Cover the vessel with a lid & seal it with flour dough.
- Cook over high flame for 10 minutes.
- Hilsa biriyani is ready to serve with raita.