Satiating that fishy feeling

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There’s something about the monsoons that gives rise to an atavistic urge for seafood. Perhaps it’s all the water around or the fact that the supply of fish in markets dwindles at this time as the state governments ban large scale fishing as it’s the mating season. However, when one comes across fresh fish in the markets, it’s almost impossible to walk away.

Fish Biryani
While proper biryani aficionados will not count fish biryani as the Real McCoy, you will not regret this dish.

Ingredients
1 large pomfret, cut into pieces
2 onions, finely chopped
150 ml yoghurt, beaten
50 ml oil
Salt
2 onions, crisply fried and crushed
1 tomato, finely chopped
2 potatoes, cubed small and fried
Yellow food colouring
Masala:
Grind to a paste:
4 green chillies
4 red chillies
4 cloves garlic
½ tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves
6 peppercorns
2.5 cm stick cinnamon
15 g coriander seeds
½ tsp turmeric
For the rice:
500 g long grained rice
Salt
6 cloves
8 peppercorns
5 cardamoms
5 cm stick cinnamon

Method
Heat half the oil in a large wok and fry the sliced onions till golden brown. Add the spice paste and salt and fry well. Now add the yoghurt and fry till well blended. Remove from heat and put in the fish pieces, stir and return to heat. Cook till done and allow to cool. Add the crushed onions, tomatoes and potatoes and mix gently.
Parboil rice with the cloves, peppercorns, cardamoms, cinnamon and salt; when half cooked drain and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy-bottomed vessel, spread half the rice at the bottom and place the fish and its masala over the rice. Drizzle some oil and some food colouring over the fish. Arrange another layer of rice on top. Drizzle some more oil on top, tightly cover and cook on low heat till the rice is done (around 10-15 minutes).
Serve hot with raita and mint chutney.

Baked Kala Saranga (Black Pomfret)
Ingredients
1 kg whole black pomfret, slashed on either side
Juice of ½ lime
Salt
12 cloves
12 cardamoms
20 peppercorns
1 inch stick cinnamon
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp cumin
4 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tsp sugar

Method
Marinate the fish with the lime juice and salt for 15 minutes. Roast and grind the cloves, cardamoms, peppercorns, cinnamon, fennel seeds and cumin. Mix in the tamarind juice, sugar and salt. Keep aside.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Rub the roasted spice mixture into the fish, wrap in foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot with mint chutney and rice.