Salmon biryani with raisin chutney and a cucumber and pomegranate raita by Seema Srihari.
Ingredients
For the rice:
- 50 g1¾ oz ghee
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- 5 cm cinnamon stick
- A pinch of fennel seeds
- 100 g3½ oz basmati rice
For the paste:
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 green chillies
- A handful of mint leaves
- A handful of coriander leaves
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 6 g¼ oz ginger
For the salmon biryani:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, chopped finely
- 2 beef tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 200 g7 oz Scottish salmon fillets - skinned and boned
- 50 g1¾ oz pineapple, cut into chunks
- Few drops lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- 2 onions, sliced into thin strips (for frying)
- Ghee for deep frying
- 10 g¼ oz cashew nuts
- A few strands of saffron
- 4 tsp milk
- A handful of coriander leaves
- 10 ml¼ fl oz rose water
For the raisin chutney:
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 whole red chilli
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 3 g ginger
- 2 tbsp malt vinegar
- 50 g1¾ oz raisins
- Salt to taste
For the cucumber and pomegranate raita:
- 100 g3½ oz cucumber
- 250 ml8¾ fl oz Greek yoghurt
- 30 g1 oz pomegranate seeds
- Salt to taste
For the garnish:
- A few rose petals
Method: How to make Salmon biryani with raisin chutney
For the rice:
In a heavy bottomed pan heat the ghee and fry together with the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon and fennel seeds until you can smell the spices.
At this point add the water (you'll need twice the volume of water to rice) and season with a little fine salt. Once the water is boiling, add the rice and cook until the rice is soft and fluffy.
When cooked, use a fork to fluff up the rice.
For the spice paste:
In a small food processor or spice grinder, blitz together all the ingredients for the paste until coarse.
For the salmon biryani:
In a heavy bottomed frying pan, heat the oil and fry the chopped onions, adding the tomatoes once the onions have softened.
Stir in the spice paste and cook for around 8 minutes or until the oil floats to the surface.
Carefully lower the salmon fillets into the spices, season and reduce the mixture to a simmer.
Cook the salmon through for approximately 6 minutes or until it is no longer translucent. Remove the pan from the heat, add the pineapple pieces, sprinkle with lemon juice and let the salmon rest in the sauce for 30 minutes so it can absorb the flavours.
Meanwhile deep fry the sliced onions in ghee until they are browned, drain and set to one side. In the same ghee, fry the cashews.
Leave the onions and cashews to drain on a piece of kitchen roll.
In a small ramekin combine a few teaspoons of milk with the saffron strands and microwave for 30 seconds. Set aside to let the saffron infuse with the milk.
Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
Smear some ghee in a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Add a layer of rice, followed by a layer of the salmon curry.
Sprinkle in some fried onion, a couple of cashews (saving a few for service), coriander leaves, saffron milk and rosewater, and add another layer of rice.
Repeat until the rice and fish are completely used up and cover the pan with foil. Transfer it to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
For the raisin chutney:
Using a skewer, hold the garlic and chilli over an open flame to grill.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the mustard seeds, ginger, vinegar, flame grilled garlic and chilli, raisins and salt.
When the raisins expand, remove the pan from the heat and transfer its contents to a food processor.
Blend the mixture until a jam like consistency is formed, adding a few drops of water if necessary. Set aside until ready for service.
For the cucumber & pomegranate raita:
Peel and chop the cucumber and stir it into the yoghurt. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and season to taste. Place in the fridge until needed.
To serve:
Use a chef's ring to mould the biryani into a tower in the centre of a large plate. Sprinkle with a few rose petals and cashews.
Serve a small amount of chutney on one side of the plate and a little raita on the other, sprinkled with a few extra pomegranate seeds if desired.
