Adam Liaw's Spanish mackerel biryani
'Dum' biryani is a Hyderabadi style of biryani usually made with meat, slow-cooked on low heat, most often in a sealed vessel. This fish version is made 'pakki' style, where ingredients are cooked separately and layered for a short 'dum' process.
Ingredients
large pinch of saffron (optional)
4 Spanish mackerel cutlets, or other firm white fish
salt and pepper, to season
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
2 cups basmati rice
2 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
about 4 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
1 large onion, thinly sliced
½ cup sultanas
½ cup finely shredded coriander lemon wedges, to serve
For the biryani masala
1 large brown onion, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
3cm ginger, peeled grated
3 large green chilies, sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp each ground turmeric, coriander and cumin
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground fennel
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 tbsp tomato paste
200ml thick yoghurt, plus extra to serve
Method
1. Soak the saffron (if using) in ¼ cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Season fish well with salt and pepper and rub with turmeric, coriander, chilli and cumin. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Rinse the rice and add to the water with the cardamom and cinnamon. Simmer for 15 minutes until the rice is tender, then strain in a colander.
3. While the rice is cooking, heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add 2 tbsp oil. Fry the onion until golden brown, then remove the onion, leaving the oil in the pan, then fry the fish fillets for about 2-3 minutes each side until browned. The fish does not yet have to be completely cooked through. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.
4. In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed and prepare the biryani masala. Fry the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies for about 5 minutes until lightly golden. Add the salt and spices and fry for a further minute, then stir through the tomato paste and yoghurt. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes, until the masala is thick.
5. Rub the base of a heavy casserole dish with a little oil and add half the rice. Season well with salt and scatter over half the sultanas. Top the rice with the masala, then place the fish fillets on top of the masala. Add the remaining rice, then sprinkle the top of the rice with the saffron and its water (if using), the remaining sultanas, and half of the fried onions and the coriander. Season well with salt.
6. Place the pot over high heat, cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to very low. Do this either by placing the pot on induction set very low or, if using gas, by heating a frying pan on low heat and placing the pot on top of the pan. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Scoop out the fish and rice, scatter with the remaining onions and coriander, and serve with yoghurt and lemon wedges.
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Adam Liaw is a cookbook author and food writer, co-host of Good Food Kitchen and former MasterChef winner.
