Ingredients:
1/2 kg fish pieces ( I used king fish)
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp + 1 1/2 – 2 tbsp mandi masala / arabic masala powder
1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 cup sella basmati rice
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 whole green chillies
1 tomato, grind to paste
1 1/2 -2 tbsp arabic masala powder
1 dried lemon
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon
1 tsp black pepper corns
3 cardamoms
3 cloves
salt to taste
oil, as required
Preparation:
- Wash the sella basmati rice and soak in water for 3/4-1 hour.
- In a bowl, add chilli powder, 1 tsp mandi masala, 1/2 tsp pepper powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, 1 tbsp oil and salt and mix well.
- Add cleaned fish pieces and marinate well with the masala and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
- Heat 5-6 tbsp oil in a pan and add marinated fish and fry on both sides and keep it aside.
- In the same pan add little more oil and add bay leaves, cinnamon, pepper corns, cardamoms and cloves.
- Add sliced onion and green chillies and saute well.
- Add tomato paste into this and saute well till cooked.
- Add 1 1/2 – 2 tbsp mandi masala, 1/2 tsp pepper powder, salt and dried lemon and mix well.
- Then add 3 3/4 cup of water and salt and boil well.
- Add drained rice into this and mix well and cook it covered for about 15 minutes.
- Then add some red and yellow food colour mixed with little milk / water on top and place the fried fish on top of the rice.
- To get smoky flavour to the rice, place a small steel bowl inside the rice.
- Heat a piece of charcoal on direct flame until it is nicely hot, this will take a few minutes. Once the charcoal is hot, place it in the bowl that is in the rice and pour a tsp of oil on top.
- Cover the pan immediately with a tight lid and keep it in low flame for 5 minutes.
- Then open the lid and remove the charcoal bowl from the rice.
- Remove the fish from the rice to a plate and mix the rice gently.
- Transfer the rice to a to a large serving plate and place the fried fish pieces on top. Serve with salata hara, salad etc…
