Fish Kabsa

Ingredients:

1/2 kg thick flesh fish, cut into pieces ( I used kingfish)
2 cups kaima rice/ basmati rice
3 cups of water
3 tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp ginger, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp garlic, chopped
2 big green chillies, chopped
1 big onion, chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 or 1 dried lemon
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

For Masala Powder:

1 tbsp pepper corns
1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
3 cardamoms
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 big piece cinnamon
1/2 bay leaf
small piece of nutmeg
4 cloves
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder/ chukkupodi
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Preparation:

1. Wash the rice, drain it and keep it aside.
2. Blanch the tomatoes (add tomatoes in a pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then transfer them to a bowl of cold water), then peel off the skin and grind to a paste / puree and keep it aside.
3. Prepare masala powder by grinding together all the ingredients under “For Masala Powder” to a fine powder.
4. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and onions and saute well till it starts to change colour.
5. Add turmeric powder to this and mix well.
6. Add cleaned fish pieces and mix well adding little salt and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Then add pureed tomatoes ( about 1 cup) and mix well.
8. Add 3 cups of water and allow it to boil. When it starts to boil, add drained rice and salt and mix well.
9. Then add  about 2 1/2-3 tbsp masala powder ( step 3) and mix well.
10. Add dried lemon and cook covered for 1 whistle at high flame and then reduce the flame and cook for another 1 whistle.
11. When the pressure releases, open the pressure cooker and then serve garnished with coriander leaves…