Kallummakaya/ Mussels Biriyani

Ingredients:

1/2 kg mussels/ kallummakaya

2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 kg (2 1/2 cup) basmati rice

4 1/2 cups water

4 big onions, sliced

4-5 green chillies

1 piece ginger (1 tbsp)

1 tbsp garlic

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup coriander leaves

few mint leaves

1 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp lemon juice

biriyani colour

2 cloves

2 cardamoms

2 cinnamons

ghee

oil

salt to taste

Preparation:  

For Preparing Mussels Masala:

1. Clean mussels and marinate it with chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Crush ginger, garlic and green chillies together.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the marinated mussels and keep it aside.
3. In the same oil used for frying mussels, add 3 sliced onions and saute till transparent.
4. Add crushed paste (ginger,garlic and green chillies) and saute well.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Add 3/4 tsp garam masala, coriander leaves and mint leaves and cook for few minutes.
6. Then add 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt and fried mussels and mix well. Remove the masala from flame and keep it aside.

  For Preparing Rice:

1. Wash and drain the rice. Boil water and keep it aside. Heat ghee in a wide thick bottomed pan, add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and 1 sliced onion and saute till transparent.
2. Add drained rice and saute for 2-3 minutes in low-medium flame. To this add boiled water and salt and cook till rice is done.

   For Layering:

1. Layer cooked rice over prepared mussels masala. Mix biriyani colour in 1 tbsp lemon juice and sprinkle this over rice. Sprinkle little garam masala and coriander leaves.
2. Close with tight lid and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Garnish with fried onions and serve hot..

• Another method of layering- bottom layer with rice,then masala layer and then again top layer with rice...

Linking to My Healthy Happy Kitchen, Feast of Sacrifice Event