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    Home

    Fish Biryani Recipe

    Last Updated On: Apr 6, 2025 by Aarthi

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Fish Biryani Recipe is a spicy, flavourful and delicious biryani prepared by layering fried fish with an onion tomato masala with a layer of basmati rice and cooked to perfection. In this blog post learn how to make delicious fish biryani with step by step pictures and video.

    Fish Biryani

    Biryani, Everyone loves it. It is truly a delicacy of India. You can make it with anything you like starting from vegetables to fish. There is one thing in common in these types of biryani, which is the process of making it. The original biryani calls for few steps and the main one is the "DUM" part. But now we have found an easy way of making biryani which is using a pressure cooker.

    Jump to:
    • About Fish Biryani
    • Fish Biryani Ingredients
    • How to Make Fish Dum Biryani (Stepwise Pictures)
    • Expert Tips
    • 📖 Recipe Card

    But the unique flavour, look and aroma comes to a biryani when it is cooked in a dum style. I have a Traditional Mutton Briyani, Vegetable Briyani which is made in dum style. Making a perfect biryani doesn't need any masterclass, just use the good quality basmati rice, so you will get the perfect grains and aroma of a biryani. Rice shouldn't be over cooked and the masala made for the biryani should be well balanced.

    About Fish Biryani

    Biryani can be made with variety of ingredients. Some of the most popular ones are chicken and mutton. Fish biryani is a recipe which is made in limited states around India, but it is widely popular all over Kerala.

    I made this Fish biryani using traditional dum style. Fish pieces is marinated with spices and fried in oil till crispy. A masala is made in the same oil with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, yogurt, spices. Cooked basmati rice is layered over this masala along with fried fish, fried onions and cooked on low heat until fragrant.

    Fish biryani has a unique taste and flavour to it. If you love sea food you will enjoy this biryani. And I recommend you to check my prawn biryani as well.

    My Favorite Biryani Recipes from this blog

    Pressure cooker Chicken biryani

    Chicken Dum Biryani

    Fish Biryani Ingredients

    Basmati Rice - use good quality basmati rice for biryani which provides best flavour and aroma to the dish.

    Whole Spices - main flavour for the biryani comes from the whole spices used. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, adds warmth and flavour.

    Fish - use firm white fish for biryani. Seer fish, king fish are good options.

    Onions & Tomatoes - like most Indian cooking, onions and tomatoes form the base.

    Yogurt - yogurt helps create the thick masala for the biryani also provides the tangy taste.

    Spice Powders - you can use biryani masala powder or any spice blend of choice.

    Fresh Herbs - coriander leaves and mint leaves adds the aroma to the biryani.

    Why You will Love this Recipe?

    Easy & Impressive - The recipe is easy and very forgiving. Also it is quite impressive, so if you are cooking this for a sea food lover, they will admire you for making this.

    How to Make Fish Dum Biryani (Stepwise Pictures)

    Take all your ingredients
    Boil lots of water with whole spices
    Add rice to it and cook
    Once it is cooked, drain them
    Set this aside
    Take your fish pieces
    Sprinkle in salt and spice powders
    Give a squeeze
    Now everything is marinated well
    Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan,
    you are gonna make briyani in this pan
    Drop the fish pieces in
    Flip over and sear them
    Remove them to a plate once they are cooked
    In the remaining flavourful oil
    Add in pandan leaves
    Sliced onions
    Saute them well
    Add in green chillies
    add in ginger garlic paste
    And the spice powders
    Now add in tomatoes
    Pour in some water
    Cook them
    Sprinkle some salt over
    Add a bunch of mint and coriander leaves
    Add in curd too
    Mix these well
    Let them cook till everything is combined
    Spread the rice evenly
    Sprinkle some more herbs
    Pour some saffron liquid on top
    Arrange the fish pieces over this
    Cover with a lid
    Now for the dum part, heat a heavy tawa
    Place the whole thing on top
    Let it steam
    Add beautifully cooked
    Serve

    Expert Tips

    • use good quality basmati rice which is important for the taste and texture of the biryani.
    • Make sure to soak the basmati rice to soften the grains which provides more fluffy texture in biryani.
    • Any white fish can be used for the biryani. I prefer to use fish with less bones like seer fish and king fish.
    • Taste and adjust seasonings in the masala.

    More Biryani Recipes to Try

    • Chicken Biryani Recipe
    • Chicken Dum Biryani Recipe
    • Kerala Erachi Choru Recipe
    • Authentic Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani Recipe
    • Chicken 65 Biryani Recipe
    • Vegetable Biryani Recipe

    📖 Recipe Card

    Fish Biryani Recipe (Fish Dum Biryani)

    Fish Biryani Recipe is a spicy, flavourful and delicious biryani prepared by layering fried fish with an onion tomato masala with a layer of basmati rice and cooked to perfection. In this blog post learn how to make delicious fish biryani with step by step pictures and video.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 697kcal

    Equipment

    • Cooking pot

    Ingredients

    For Cooking Rice for Biryani

    • 2 cups Basmati Rice
    • 10 cups Water
    • 4 no Cardamom
    • 4 no Cloves
    • 1 inch Cinnamon stick
    • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
    • 2 no Bay Leaf
    • 2 tbsp Salt

    For Frying Fish (Marination)

    • ½ kg Fish Use firm white fleshed fish
    • 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
    • 2 tsp Coriander powder
    • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp Cumin powder
    • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • ¼ cup Coconut Oil

    For Biryani Masala

    • 1 no Pandan Leaves optional
    • 2 large Onion peeled & thinly sliced
    • 3 no Green Chilli slit
    • 3 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
    • 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
    • 1 tbsp Coriander powder
    • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp Cumin powder
    • 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
    • 1 large Tomato chopped finely
    • ½ cup Curd
    • ½ cup Mint Leaves finely chopped
    • ½ cup Coriander leaves finely chopped
    • Salt to taste

    For Saffron Milk

    • ¼ tsp Saffron
    • ¼ cup Warm Milk

    Instructions

    • Wash and Soak rice for 30 mins. Now boil lots of water with all the ingredients given for cooking rice. Add the soaked rice in the water and cook it for 8 to 10 mins till the grains are 90 percentage cooked. Strain it in a colander and set aside.
    • Mix saffron with warm milk and set aside so it steeps.
    • Marinate the fish in the ingredients given for 30 mins. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan(this is the pan where you are going to make biryani). Add the fish pieces in this oil and cook them for 5 mins on each side. Remove them to a plate.
    • In the remaining oil, add in pandan leaves and fry them for few mins. Add in sliced onions, green chilli and saute for 5 mins or so. Once the onion is cooked, add in ginger garlic paste and saute them for a min. Now add in all the spice powders and mix them for 30 sec. Add in tomatoes and a splash of water. Cook this for 5 mins till the tomatoes is mashed completely. Add in salt, mint leaves, coriander leaves and curd. Mix well. Cook this for 5 mins till the masala is completely cooked.
    • Now spoon the cooked rice on top and add some more coriander and mint leaves. Drizzle over some saffron milk and place the fish pieces on top of the rice.
    • Cover this whole thing and place over a heavy bottom iron tawa and put the tawa on low heat. Let this whole thing be on dum for 15 to 20 mins. Open the lid and mix everything up. Serve this biryani with raita.

    Notes

    • use good quality basmati rice which is important for the taste and texture of the biryani.
    • Make sure to soak the basmati rice to soften the grains which provides more fluffy texture in biryani.
    • Any white fish can be used for the biryani. I prefer to use fish with less bones like seer fish and king fish.
    • Taste and adjust seasonings in the masala.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servings | Calories: 697kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 4263mg | Potassium: 959mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2018IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @yummytummyaarthi or tag #yummytummyaarthi!
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    If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.

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    IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR ANYTHING FROM YUMMY TUMMY, MAKE SURE TO POST IT AND TAG ME SO I CAN SEE ALL OF YOUR CREATIONS!! #YUMMYTUMMYAARTHI AND @YUMMYTUMMYAARTHI ON INSTAGRAM!

    More Fish Recipes to Try

    • Village Syle Fish Curry Recipe
    • Meen Kuzhambu Recipe
    • Nethili Fry Recipe
    • African Fish Curry Recipe
    • Fish Pickle Recipe
    • Meen Peera | Nethili Meen Avial Recipe

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    « Paalada Dosa (Thin Rice Crepes)
    Kinnathappam Recipe »
    Aarthi

    About Aarthi

    Over the past few years I’ve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vijeta Karpe

      at

      Nice & easy recipe of fish biryani.. What r these pandan leaves & where can i find it?.. i know mostly it is used in Thai & Philipino cuisine..

      Reply
      • Patience Gibson

        at

        This Fish Biryani recipe sounds delicious! The combination of aromatic spices and tender fish must make for a flavorful dish. It would be great to know which type of fish works best and any tips for keeping the fish from breaking while cooking!

        Reply
    2. Coral Crue

      at

      this looks extremely delicious. where do we get pandan leaf?

      Reply
    3. prethika skm

      at

      clear presentation aarthi...will make it soon

      Reply
    4. Hamaree Rasoi

      at

      Awesome looking biriyani. Looks wonderfully prepared.
      Deepa

      Reply
    5. morri

      at

      I made it, but with bay leaves instead of pandan and I deboned the fish before steaming. Very yummy, we all love fish dishes.

      Reply
    6. lisha

      at

      what is the other option if i dont have a tawa.

      Reply
    7. Aarthi

      at

      @lishaYou can place the whole thing in a very low oven for 10 mins. Or you could place it over any big frying pan or pan.

      Reply
    8. Anu Shoj

      at

      mouth watering biriyani...awesome!

      Cheers
      Anu
      Anu's Healthy Kitchen

      Reply
    9. Anonymous

      at

      Tried this today and came out really good. My husband loves it...

      Reply
    10. Rahath TK

      at

      I love your blog , keep sharing your wonderful recipes

      Reply
    11. Anonymous

      at

      I love your recipes

      Reply
    12. Priya

      at

      Hai Arthi,
      This is my first try at Fish Briyani. It turned out soooo tasty. The steps were like seeing you cook. Thank you

      Reply
    13. അഞ്പ Anju

      at

      Thank you so much arthi... your recipies with pics are really helpful for me... I love your recipies...

      Reply
    14. അഞ്പ Anju

      at

      Thank you so much arthi... your recipies with pics are really helpful for me... I love your recipies...

      Reply
    15. Anonymous

      at

      Aarthi , can you tell me which garam masala to use, as each brand have different flavor or let me know your recipe to make home made garam masala. Thanks

      Reply
    16. Aarthi

      at

      @Anonymouscheck this out
      http://www.yummytummyaarthi.net/2013/03/homemade-garam-masala-powder-my-version.html

      Reply
    17. Anusha Isaacraj

      at

      Thanks pa for this recipe.
      All your recipes are too good!!!

      God bless u n family 🙂

      Reply
    18. Anonymous

      at

      gud one aarthi

      Reply
    19. Anonymous

      at

      Hi...
      Found ur website few days ago nd really like it.
      One question that how look does it take to cook fish?Nd how to know that its is cooked?
      Even though whenever I tried to cook chicken , it takes 40-45 mins and even more. Can you tell why?or what is the error at my end

      Reply
      • Aarthi

        at

        fish cooks in 10 to 12 mins

        Reply
    20. Anonymous

      at

      hey
      I tried . I cooked for around 20 mins , even then there was raw smell and the family was complained that its nt cooked frm inside.
      Same i experience with chicken as the inner part seems bland even after marinating.
      Sry i am really clueless abt fish, how to judge its cooked? and which fish should i choose?

      Reply
    21. Anonymous

      at

      nd also please could you tell me how to cook white creamy lemon chicken? Like I am not able to find, If you could send me the link

      Reply
    22. Neha

      at

      Hi Arthi I'm a fan of ur recepies. I tried most of your recepies all turned out very yummy. Keep posting

      Reply
    23. Rathi

      at

      Hi Arthi..I'm a huge fun of yummy tummy. Your website is my first priority when comes to food search.
      Your Fish Biryani came out really delicious and moist. It's definitely a keeper. My whole family loves it including my 2 years old 🙂

      Reply
    24. Zaheda

      at

      I tried this with Prawns, it was probably the best biryani I have ever tasted. My husband and kids love it . This is a 5 star recipe. Thank you so much

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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