Crab Biriyani / Njandu Biriyani

Ingredients:

1/2 kg crabs , cleaned
3 cups jeerakasala rice/ basmati rice
3 onions, chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced for garnishing
2 tomatoes, chopped
8 green chillies, crushed
1 tbsp ginger paste /crushed
1 tbsp garlic paste/crushed
1 tbsp chilli powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
4 cloves
3 cardamoms
2 small piece cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp garam masala
lemon juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
5 cups of boiling water
salt to taste
2-3 tbsp ghee
oil

Preparation:

  1. Cut and clean the crab pieces and cook it with 1 tsp turmeric powder and salt adding enough water for about 10 minutes.
  2. Then marinate the cooked crabs with chilli powder and keep it aside.
  3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the marinated crabs and keep it aside.
  4. In a thick bottomed pan, add the remaining oil used for frying crabs and add the crushed ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute well.
  5. Add chopped onions and saute well till transparent.
  6. Add 1/2-1 tsp turmeric powder and chopped tomatoes and saute well till soft.
  7. Add 2 tsp garam masala , salt and 1 tbsp lemon juice and mix well.
  8. Then add the fried crabs and chopped coriander leaves, mix well and cook covered for 2-3 minutes in low flame.Switch off the flame.
  9. Heat ghee and 2 tbsp oil in a thick bottomed pan and fry the thinly sliced onion till golden and keep it aside.
  10. In the same pan, add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and cardamoms.
  11. Add boiling water and salt to this and then add the drained rice. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and cook covered on low flame for about 10 minutes till done.
  12. Now layer the cooked rice on top of the prepared crab masala. Then add fried onion, chopped coriander leaves, garam masala and a pinch of yellow colour/saffron mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice/ milk.
  13. Cover with an aluminium foil and close with a tight lid. Then cook on low flame for 10-15 minutes.
  14. Remove from flame and serve with raita, pickle and pappadum….

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