Pressure Cooker Fish Biryani (with Basmati Brown Rice)
Super aromatic and delicious fish biryani made with brown basmati rice and pressure cooked to perfection with Instant Pot. Perfect one-pot recipe. Stove-top recipe is included too.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3 Tbsp ghee/clarified butter (divided if cooking on stove-top)
- 1 large onion (peeled and chopped)
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 3 cups brown basmati rice (see notes)
- 2 cups water (see notes)
- 1 cup thin coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 Roma tomatoes (seeded and diced)
- 2 lbs boneless skinless firm white fish fillet (see notes, cut into large chunks )
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 large cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 5 cardamom pods
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- Small bunch of cilantro leaves (extra for garnishing)
- Small bunch of mint leaves
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the rice to get rid of any impurities. Make sure to drain off all water. There is no need to soak the rice with pressure cooker. Marinade the fish with the marinade ingredients and let stand for 20 minutes.
- 2
Press saute on instant pot and when it's hot, add ghee and let it heat up a bit. Add onion and saute until soft. Add ginger and all the spices ingredients and saute until fragrant
- 3
Add the fish and gently stir to mix, take care not to break the fish into pieces. Cook until they turn opaque and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Use a tong if you have one to gently remove the fish pieces from the pot and set aside. Turn off the saute mode. Pour in liquid and salt. Make sure you use a wooden spatula to scrape all the bits from the bottom of the pot. Anything that stuck there might trigger a "BURN" display later
- 4
Add tomatoes, fresh cilantro and mint leaves. Then, sprinkle the rice on top. Use the spatula to gently push the rice in to make sure it is covered by liquid
- 5
Cover the lid. Turn the steam release valve to seal. Turn on pressure cook, high pressure and set the timer to 20 minutes. It will take about 5 minutes or so to pressurize. Once the 20 minutes is up, wait for 10 minutes and then turn the steam release valve to venting and let the pressure release and the pressure valve to collapse. Open the lid (and be amazed by the incredible aroma) and gently fluff the rice. Place the cooked fish pieces back into the pot. Decorate with additional fresh cilantro leaves. Serve warm.
- 6
In a large heavy-bottom pot with a tight-fitting lid, melt the clarified butter, Add onion and saute until soft. Add ginger and all the spices ingredients and saute until fragrant. Add the fish and gently stir to mix, take care not to break the fish into pieces. Cook until they turn opaque and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Use a tong if you have one to gently remove the fish pieces from the pot and set aside
- 7
Sprinkle the rice on top and pour in the liquid and salt. Use the spatula to gently push the rice in to make sure it is covered by liquid. Cover the lid and let it cook for 5 minutes and then open and stir it to prevent the bottom from catching. Let it cook for the next 20 minutes. Then wait 10 minutes before uncovering the lid. Add the tomatoes, fresh cilantro and mint leaves on top. Cover it back to let the residual heat soften the tomatoes and herbs, about 5 minutes. Gently fluff to mix the rice and add the fish pieces back into the pot. Garnish with more fresh cilantro leaves. Serve warm