seabass
- 1 whole seabass (400–600g), scaled and fins removed
Dum Ke Seabass Biryani
Ingredients
quail eggs
- 4–6 quail eggs
puff pastry
- 2 ready-made puff pastry sheets (enough to wrap the fish twice)
- 2 egg yolks mixed with 1 spoonful of milk (for egg wash)
biryani rice
- 2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
- Whole garam masala: o 2 cloves o 1 green cardamom o 1 blade of mace o ½-inch cinnamon stick
- 200g chopped red onion
- Pinch of salt
- 200g chopped ripe tomato
- 20g ginger (julienned)
- 15g chopped garlic
- 3 hot green chillis (slit)
- Pinch of each: garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder
- 2 pinches of saffron
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- 100g boiled basmati rice
- 1 tsp kewra water
- 1 tsp rose water
- A few mint leaves
- A few coriander leaves
- Dried rose petals
Method
seabass
Belly intact, open from the top, middle bone removed, pin bones plucked.
Rinse in cold water and pat dry.
quail eggs
Boil eggs for 1.5 minutes.
Refresh in ice water and peel carefully.
rice preparation
Heat ghee in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add whole garam masala. Once aromatic, remove the whole spices and discard.
Add onions, ginger, garlic, and green chillis. Sweat until soft.
Add powdered spices and cook for 3–4 minutes.
Add yogurt and cook for another 2 minutes. Add more ghee if needed.
Add 1 pinch of saffron.
Sprinkle the boiled rice over the mixture (do not mix).
Add kewra water, rose water, mint, coriander, a second pinch of saffron, and dried rose petals.
Seal the pot with a dough lid and cook gently over low heat for 5 minutes.
Open, gently mix the rice, then spread on a tray to cool (blast chill if available).
assembling the seabass
Line a sheet of cling film, brush with ghee, and season with salt, fried onions, dried rose petals, mint, and coriander.
Lay the seabass on the film. Season the inside using the same ingredients.
Stuff the seabass with biryani rice, then line with quail eggs and cover with more rice.
Roll the fish in cling film and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm it up.
wrapping and baking
Place the fish on one sheet of puff pastry. Egg wash the edges, then cover with another sheet.
Shape gently, trim excess pastry, and decorate if desired.
Egg wash the top and rest in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
a. Bake at 200°C for 12 minutes
b. Then reduce to 180°C and bake for another 12 minutes or until golden brown
Brush with olive oil and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
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