Fish Biryani Recipe

Last Updated On: Mar 24, 2025 by Aarthi

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.

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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

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

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

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