Boal Maacher Biryani

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Maacher Biryani ? A cynical S had asked me.
We were in Hyderabad, savouring a delectable biryani, accompanied with a tear-jerking spicy mirchi ka salan, and as you might have guessed, the conversation had inevitably drifted off to the eclectic topic of biryanis.

Who cares, S had remarked in jest, that the biryani didn’t originate in Bengal ? I doubt if anyone else could match us in our unadulterated passion for biryanis.
No, I had not disagreed.

I was by now familiar with S’ biryani bias.
It was clear he adored his lamb biryani, he preferred the Awadhi version to the Hyderabadi one that we were now relishing, the sight of spuds in his biryani lit a twinkle on his face and he wasn’t really gracious with his views on the vegetarian version.

And what about fish biryani ? I had asked. Absentmindedly.
Fish biryani ? That expression had given it away.
Come on, I tease, don’t tell me you’ve not had an Ilish Biryani.
S wasn’t one who loved to admit his ignorance when it came to food.
But today he had been left clearly stumped.
I chuckle.
I cannot comment about authenticity, I start, carefully, with a caveat, but Ilish Pulao, once or twice a year during the raging Assam monsoons when the Padma would be in full spate and Ilish in glorious abundance, was not uncommon at home in Karimganj.
But that’s a Pulao, the man had exclaimed.
And this had been enough to digress the conversation to another esoteric topic – the difference between biryanis and pulaos, something that, pardon my ignorance, I haven’t found a credible answer for to this very date.

Fast forward a couple of years, on a holiday to Cochin, we discover the delectable Thalassery Biryani, introduced by enterprising Arab traders to the northern coast of Kerala. The long-grained fragrant basmati is conspicuous here by her absence (in favour of the local jeerakasala rice) but the cynosure is the gorgeous seer fish !!

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Cut to the present.
Fish Biryani no longer raises consternation in the man, we are comfortable with our Ilish Pulao and the Thalassery Fish Biryani graces the table every now and then when we get seer steaks from the fishmonger.

So when the fishmonger sends home some gorgeous boal steaks, I decide to muster courage and whip up a Boal Maacher Biryani. Inspired by the Moplah version.

Boal Maacher Biryani. A match made in heaven between the fragrant gobindobhog rice and the boal steaks. Perfumed with a potpourri of aromatic spices.
Bliss, isn’t it ?

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Boal Maacher Biryani

Boal Maacher Biryani. A match made in heaven between the fragrant gobindobhog rice and the boal steaks. Perfumed with a potpourri of aromatic spices. Bliss, isn’t it ?

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Ingredients

  

For Boal Biryani

• 2.5 cups gobindobhog rice
• 6 steaks of boal
• 3/4 cup beresta or fried onions
• 3 big onions finely sliced
• 2 tomatoes finely chopped
• 3 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1.5 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 3 tsp biryani masala powder
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 one inch cinnamon sticks
• 3-4 cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 5.5 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp ghee
• salt to taste

For Biryani Masala Powder

• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1.5 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 one inch cinnamon sticks
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 star anise
• 1/2 florets of mace
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 3-4 dry red chillies
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

 

• Wash the rice, drain from water. Allow to dry.
• Heat 2 tsp ghee and 2 tsp oil in pan, when hot, throw in the crushed cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves. Allow the spices to splutter and release their fragrance.
• Now add the rice, sauté for a minute or two. Add 4.5 cups of water, cook for 15 minutes or so till all the water is absorbed. Keep aside.
• Marinate the fish with a little turmeric powder and salt.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil, lightly sauté the fish pieces. Keep aside on a kitchen absorbent towel.
• In the same pan add another 3 tbsp oil, add the chopped onions, fry till they soften and catch a tinge of light brown. Now sprinkle in the turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Continue to sauté for a minute or so.
• Stir in the ginger paste, garlic paste and green chilli paste. Cook for a further 5 minutes. At this stage, throw in the chopped tomatoes, continue to cook till the raw smell of tomatoes is no longer there and oil starts to release from the masala.
• Now add half the crushed fried onions and 3 tsp of the Biryani masala powder. Cook for a further 5 odd minutes.
• Finally gently add the fried fish pieces, coat evenly with the masala. Cover and cool over a low flame for a final 5 minutes.

Assembling the Biryani

• Smear a heavy bottomed pot generously with ghee, place 3 of the fish steaks and about half the gravy. Add half of the remaining fried onions and a sprinkle of the Biryani masala powder. Layer with half of the cooked rice.
• Add another layer of fish, gravy, fried onions and Biryani masala powder. And finally another layer of rice. Dot with ghee.
• Cook over a low flame for 10 odd minutes. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Biryani Masala Powder

• Lightly toast all the whole spices and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container .

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Ilish (Hilsa) Biryani Boal Maacher Dom Bhapa Ilish Lau Patay Ilish Bhapa (Hilsa steamed in Bottlegourd leaves)