Mother’s never have any measurements, everything gets dumped into a pot and it’s cooked. It will be the best thing on earth but don’t ever ask for the recipe because you won’t get an exact one. I called my mum asking for the recipe and she says “add a little extra cumin”, so I say how much is extra and then I ask can I add any other spice and she says “add a little ground dhania”, which is coriander. What a mission, eventually I said “Ma, can you please tell me if I need a teaspoon or a tablespoon” and then I was finally getting somewhere…Lol! Fish Biryani is not so difficult to cook but it is about getting the balance of spices right. And trust me to make it delicious you need a little grease, not that I am fond of too much oil in my cooking but this time I took that chance and added a little more. I suppose it’s why I passed the test. In an Indian home Fish Biryani is only cooked with fresh fish, straight from the sea into the pot. Ok, I am kidding, not anymore. But it used to be that way. We are lucky to get some fresh line fish every once in a while. You can however, use any fish you prefer.
It is best to use Basmati Rice for any Biryani and a good quality one. Due to lockdown I haven’t had a chance to puchase Basmati Rice. I am quite fussy about the brand I use so I will have to wait until I can get to the shops. Here in Johannesburg there are limited shops that stock good quality Basmati Rice. So I had to settle for long grain rice. Still tasted great!
There are lots of different ways to cook Fish Biryani. I think my mom’s recipe is a little unusual in the fact that she uses tomatoes. Most recipes do not call for tomatoes. It is cooked with spices and yogurt. Fish Biryani, like most other Biryanis is best served with Raita. If you do try this recipe please drop me a comment, always love hearing from you! More Biryani Recipes: Oven-Baked Chicken Biryani South African Vegetable Biryani If you loved this, please share!
