Fish Briyani For You

I went to visit you yet again, after knowing that your oncologist could not decide on what should be the next course of treatment for you, it was kind of a surreal moment, as at this stage you should not be defying any treatments, and you should not be delayed in receiving any, however, I guess the doctor knows better.

I brought with me a bowl of fish briyani as you and your family are non meat eating. Though the dish was a way bit too spicy for you, but you enjoy it, that counts. I wish to give you every little thing that you would desire to eat, InsyaAllah.

Your father in law went to the internet to look for the fish briyani recipe, you later told me, I was happy. If he happens to come across my blog, here is the recipe.

Ingredients: 4 big pieces of medium size king fish, 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, some mustard seeds, 1teaspoon coriander seeds, 5 cloves of garlic, 1 in young ginger, some chili powder (to be blended together), 3 cardamoms, 7 cloves, ½ teaspoon black pepper, some cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 pieces bay leave (to be fried whole), 10 shallot (chopped), 5 medium size tomatoes (chopped), 3 medium size potatoes (quartered), ½ cup yoghurt and 4 cups of basmati.

Methods: Clean fish and marinate with a bit of salt for 10 minutes, then fry and keep aside. Boil the basmati rice to ¾ cooked, drain the water and run over with cool tap water and set aside.
Heat a heavy bottom pan, add the vegetable oil, fry the shallot, garlic until fragrant, add the cardamoms, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon stick, star anise and bay leave, fry for 3 minutes, add the blended ingredients, fry for 5 minutes, add the chopped tomatoes, fry till all the tomatoes disintegrate, add potatoes, yoghurt and 3 cups of water, let it boil till potatoes are soft, add the fried pieces of fish, stir slowly so that fish will not break, and further cook till gravy thickens, remove from fire.

In another pan, layer half of the rice at the bottom, then add the briyani gravy plus the fish, top up with the rest of the rice, and whatever is remaining of the gravy, cover the pot and cook on small fire for at least 30 minutes.

The preparation of the dish was tedious but it was all worth it, because I know you love the dish. May the Lord keep you strong every moment of your life, in fighting the Cancer battle.