Spicy oven baked whole fish

Yesterday I was craving fish badly :( :( .... I went to the nearest shop and brought fresh pomfrets. I was thinking what is the easiest and fast way to cook these fishes.. Suddenly I thought I will bake them with some vegetables.. Yesterday was the first time I was baking fish and believe me the fish tasted heavenly. It took me only 10 mins preparation time and 22mins baking time, can you imagine that such a delicious fish was ready to eat only in 35mins.. yum yum yum.. Below is the recipe I followed~~

Ingredients:

1. Red chillies - 2,

2. lemon juice - 2 tsb,

3. Whole lemon - 1,

4. Red bell pepper - 1,

5. Onion - 1,

6. Green chili - 1,

7. Garlic cloves- 2,

8.Coriander leaves,

9. Salt to taste,

10. Mustard oil- 2 tsb, you may use oilve oil, But I personally like the flavor of mustard oil :) :)

11. Pomfert fish or any other flat fish- I used 2 small sized, you may use one full sized pomfret

12. Aluminium foil, I prefer using aluminum foil as it helps the fish to cook faster. You may use baking dishes but please remember it may take little longer time to cook.

Procedure:

Step1: Clean and wash the fish. pat dry with paper towels. Make some slits over it and keep aside.

Step2: we will make a marination paste for the fish. In a blender take lemon juice, salt, red chillies, garlic and make a fine paste. Add 1 tsb oil to the paste for making it smooth.

Step3: Now take the fish, gently massage the paste over the fish and keep it aside while we prepare the vegetables.

Step4: pre-heat the oven at 200 degree Celsius.

Step5: Slice the onions, bell pepper, green chili and lemon. You do not need to make very thin slices as all the vegetables I am using cooks fast. Also you may use any other vegetables of your choice.

Step6: In a baking tray place the Aluminium foil. Over the foil layer the sliced onions, bell peppers, lemons, green chili and some coriander leaves. Sprinkle little bit of salt over the vegetables. Gently place the fish over the vegetable. Place 1 or 2 slices of lemon over the fish, some coriander leaves and drizzle the remaining 1 tsb oil over it.

Step7: close the aluminium foil properly so that nothing comes out while baking the fish. place the baking tray in the pre-heated oven for 20~25mins.

Step8: Carefully open the aluminium foil serve the baked fish hot with pain rice or bread. enjoy you fish :) 

Chicken Biriyani(Kachchi)

You may find many Biriyani recipes over the internet, I am trying to explain the recipe as easily as possible without compromising the test. It is easy to make nice Biriyani, you just need little patience and concentration .. :) :) that's yet.  So let's get started :) :)

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Ingredients:

-~For rice

1. Basmati Rice- 1kg,

2. Salt to taste,

3. whole spices

     -nutmeg-1,

     -nutmeg flower- 1 petal,

     -black cumin seed- 1/2tsb,

     -cloves- 4,

     -green cardamom- 3

     -cinnamon- 1/2"

-~For dum

1. Garam masala - 1 tsb,

2. Fried Onion- 1~2cups

3. Fresh coriander leaves- chopped- 1cup,

4. Fresh mint leaves- 1/2 cup,

5. Ghee- 1/2 cup,

6. Pinch of saffron soaked in 1/2 cup milk for more than 4~5 hours or overnight.

7. Flour dough to lock the vessel

-~For chicken marinade

 We need to marinade the chicken overnight. If not possible, marinade for at least 6~7 hours

1. Chicken - 1 kg

2. Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsb,

3. Curd/Yogurt - 200 ml,

4. Red chili powder- 1 tsb,

6. Salt to taste

7. bay leaves- 2

8. Cooking oil - 2 tsb,

10. Fresh coriander leaves - chopped- 1/2 cup,

11. Fresh mint leaves- chopped- 1/4 cup

12. Fresh lemon juice- 1/2 cup

- Whole spices

13. Black cardamom- 1

14. Black pepper- 7~8,

15. Nutmeg- 1~2

16. Dried Nutmeg flower- few petals,

18. Cloves- 8,

19. Cinnamon stick- 1"

20. Green cardamom- 5~6,

21. Black Cumin(Shahi jeera)- 1/2 tsb,
22. Star anies- 2~4

Procedure:

Step1: Marinating the Chicken:

  1. Coarse grind all the whole spices from the marinade section.

  2. In a vessel add chicken, the gridded spiced and all other ingredients mentioned above in the     

  marinade section. Mix well, cover the vessel and keep it in the refrigerator for at least 6~7 hours.

Step2 : Preparing the Rice:

  1. Soak the basmati rice in water for 20 mins to half an hour.

  2. In a cheese cloth take all the whole spices for rice and tightly close the cloth to make a "putli".

  3. Take 3 kg water in a pan, add salt and the species "putli" and bring the water to boil.

  4. When water comes to boil add soaked and drained rice in it and allow to boil.

  5. When rice is 40% done then turn off the heat. After Turning the heat off we should immediately start the layering process, otherwise the rice will get over cooked, which we do not want.

 

While the rice is cooking we will prepare the vessel for Dum.

Step3: Combining all together for Dum

1. Take out the Chicken from refrigerator and keep aside.

2. Take a Big Pan, grease it properly with ghee.

3. Put the chicken at the bottom of the vessel to make 1st layer of the biriyani.

You should do the rice layering process little fast, as we do not want to overcook the rice.

4. Now with a perforated spoon(jhajri), drain half of the rice and make 2nd layer over the chicken. We will not drain all the rice together, the 2nd half batch of rice will stay in the hot water. As it goes in the top layer, so we want it to be little more cooked than the 1st half batch.

* (optional)If you want to add boiled eggs or fried potatoes, you can add them now.

5. Now sprinkle chopped half of the "coriander leaves, mint leave, fried onions, garam masala, ghee".

6. Drain the 2nd batch of rice and make the last layer of rice.

7. Again sprinkle the remaining half of the "coriander leaves, mint leave, fried onions, garam masala, ghee" over the last rice layer.

8. Pour the saffron milk all over the layered rice making a circle pattern.

9. Now we need to close the lid air tightly with the flour dough.

10. Initially cook the layered biriyani on high flame for 6-10 min , later simmer and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

11. After 30 mins turn of the flame, wait another 5~10 mins. open lid mix the rice and chicken properly and carefully to avoid breaking the rice.

12. Serve hot with Raita/salad or as it is. enjoy.