Fish Biryani
If you've got firm white fish fillets, basmati rice and fresh red chillies, ground, you're most of the way to this seafood: about 70 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's pescatarian β fish but no meat.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Cut the fish into large chunks and toss with the garlic, ground red chillies, crushed coriander and cumin seeds, turmeric, yoghurt, lemon juice and a good pinch of salt; cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear, then soak it for 20 minutes and drain.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the drained rice and parboil for about 6 minutes until the grains are roughly 70 percent cooked but still firm in the centre, then drain.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan and fry the sliced onions over medium heat until deep golden brown, then remove half of them for garnishing.
- Add the marinated fish with all its marinade to the onions left in the pan and cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until the fish is just opaque and flakes easily.
- Layer the parboiled rice evenly over the fish, scatter over the reserved fried onions and the chopped fresh coriander, then cover tightly and steam on the lowest heat for 15 to 18 minutes until the rice is tender and the fish has reached at least 63 C / 145 F in the centre.
- Turn off the heat, let the biryani rest covered for 5 minutes, then fold gently so as not to break the fish and serve hot.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet Β· Pan Β· Large pot Β· Saucepan Β· Steamer
Ingredient substitutions
- Lemon
- lime Β· 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
Tips & common questions
How long does Fish Biryani take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 13 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of lemon?
Try lime. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Fish Biryani is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Fish Biryani.JPG (Public domain) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.