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Haddock Fish Biryani - Easy To Follow!
A mouthwatering fish biryani (traditionally known as machi biryani) to complement any celebration! It's a layered Basmati rice dish made with spicy haddock fish fillets and uses the "dum" method to create a truly unique and flavourful meal. This recipe is protein-rich and packed with fibre, using less oil and lots of tomatoes and pepper to create a nutritious recipe.
Ingredients
Biryani sauce (masala)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 1½ tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick, large
- 3 bay leaves
- 10 green cardamoms, seeds only, crushed
- 3 black cardamoms, seeds only, crushed
- 1½ tbsp garlic, fresh, grated or crushed
- 2 tbsp ginger, fresh, finely chopped
- 2 onions, small, thinly sliced
- 3 tomatoes, medium size, on the vine variety, washed and cut into small chunks
- 6 dried plums, small
- 2 tsp tumeric
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2½ tsp red chilli powder, sweet mild variety, adjust to taste
- 2 tsp salt, sea salt
- 1 bell pepper, orange or red, washed and cut into small cubes
Saffron milk
- 2 tbsp oat milk, unsweetened
- ⅛ tsp saffron
Haddock fish
- 2 tsp red chilli powder, sweet mild variety, adjust to taste
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1½ tsp salt, sea salt
- 800 g haddock, 5 frozen fillets, thawed, cut into medium pieces, thoroughly dried. Could use fresh.
- 2 tbsp olive oil, for pan frying haddock fish
Basmati rice
- 2 cups basmati rice, washed thoroughly, drained
- 6 cups water, for boiling rice
Garnish
- ½ cup mint, fresh, washed, finely chopped
Instructions
Saffron milk
- In a small ramekin, combine saffron with milk, mix and set aside
Biryani sauce (masala)
- In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on low to medium heat
- Add the cumin, cinnamon, bay leaves and crushed cardamoms. Temper the spices in oil until they become fragrant but be careful not to burn them
- Add garlic, ginger and onions and sauté on medium heat until golden brown
- Stir in the tomatoes, plums, turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder and salt
- Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes are soft and mushy
- Finish the biryani base masala by adding pepper and cook for 2 minutes
- Turn off the heat, and transfer to a large bowl. Set the pot aside to be used for the dum biryani (only if it is oven-safe)
Haddock fish
- Meanwhile, prepare the fish for pan-frying. Combine salt, chilli powder and ginger powder and sprinkle over the fish fillets, ensuring that both sides of the fish are well-coated
- In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat and place half the fillets in the pan. You don't want to "cook" the fish fillets; rather sear them so that the spices can stick to the fish. Turn the fish over and sear the other side as quickly as possible
- Remove the fillets as soon as feasible and repeat the process with the remaining fillets. Once all the fillets are seared, set them aside
Basmati rice
- Preheat the oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium saucepan, add the rice and water and bring to a boil. This will take anywhere from 7-8 minutes over high heat
- Reduce the heat to medium-high to prevent overflow and cook the rice at boiling point for one minute. Drain the rice immediately and prepare for layering the fish biryani
Layering and garnish
- Begin layering the biryani by starting with the bottom layer. Carefully arrange half of the fish fillets in the pot
- Next, place one-third of the cooked rice on top of the fish
- Spread half of the thick tomato-pepper sauce on top of the rice
- Lay the remaining fish fillets on top of the sauce in a single layer
- On top of the fish fillets, add half of the remaining rice
- Cover the rice with the remaining sauce
- Finally, add the remaining rice, garnish with mint and pour over the saffron-infused milk
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and send it in a preheated oven for 20 minutes
- Once the fish biryani is cooked, serve and enjoy with your favourite salad, chilli or carrot achar (pickle).
Notes
Tips and substitutions
- This biryani was intended to be mild to cater to a wider audience. However, if you like things on the spicier side, increase the amount of red chilli used or add fresh green or red chillies to the sauce. Of course, you could serve this alongside spicy achars or pickles.
- Adjust the salt to suit your taste and dietary needs. Consider reducing salt by adding more herbs and citrus.
- If you're not a fan of fish, you can use chicken or lamb in this biryani recipe. Just cook the meat in the sauce until it's mostly cooked through - before layering.
- Make sure the fish fillets are thoroughly dry before pan-frying them. This will help to prevent the fish from sticking to the pan and also allow the spices to adhere better.
- If you don't have access to an oven, you can cook the fish biryani on the stovetop. Simply place a lid on the pot after layering and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes, or until the fish and rice are fully cooked.
- The fresher your ingredients - the better your fish biryani will taste.
- For a vegan or vegetarian version of this dish, you could use tofu or paneer in place of the fish.
- The tomato-pepper sauce should be extremely thick and not runny for optimum results. Also, avoid "over-cooking" the rice and fish; note that these will finish cooking in the oven (dum). If your fish is too dry or the rice is mushy, it's a sign you overcooked them both, or the tomato sauce was too runny.
Storage
The fish biryani (made from frozen haddock fillets) will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. This fish biryani recipe is best enjoyed fresh.Nutrition Information:
Calories: 485kcal (24%)Carbohydrates: 67g (22%)Protein: 28g (56%)Fat: 11g (17%)Saturated Fat: 2g (10%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mg (24%)Sodium: 1666mg (69%)Potassium: 868mg (25%)Fiber: 5g (20%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 1472IU (29%)Vitamin C: 39mg (47%)Calcium: 99mg (10%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
Keep in mind that the nutritional values provided are approximations and suggestions, and might fluctuate depending on ingredient variations, portion sizes, and recipe adjustments. This nutrition facts table cannot account for your individual needs. Your body — including your hunger and satiety cues — change daily. It's perfectly fine to eat more or less on different days. Instead of letting food guilt take over, consider mindful eating.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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