കഞ്ഞീം കറീം ....: Crab Biriyani / Njandu Biriyani Recipe

Crab Biriyani / Njandu Biriyani Recipe:

Ingredients:

For Rice:

Jeerakasala Rice - 2 cups
Water - 3 cups
Cardamom- 2 nos
Cinnamon stick- 2 nos
Bay leaves- 1 no
Cloves-4 nos
Fennel seed - 10 nos
Black Cardamon-1 no
Nutmeg - 1 no
mace- 1 no
Lime juice - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

For masala

Crabs - 2lb cleaned
Thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup (optional)
Onions - 1/2 cup chopped
Tomatoes - 1 no chopped
Green chillies - 4 nos crushed
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp crushed
Garlic paste - 1 tbsp crushed
Biriyani masala - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp (Crushed)
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

For garnish:

Onion sliced finely- 1 no
Biriyani masala - 1/4 tsp
Cashew nuts and raisins- few
Oil/Ghee

Method of Preparation:

For Rice:

1.Soak the rice for 20 mins and drain keep it aside.
2.In a pressure cooker pour ghee and heat.
3.Put all spices and saute for few mins
4. Add rice and saute for 2 minutes or so.
5.Add 4 cups of water along with salt and lime juice cover the lid and Cook in a medium flame.
6.When rice done drain the excess water immediately spread the rice on a tray .let it cool for sometime .

For Crab masala:

1.Cut and clean the crab pieces and keep it aside.
2.Heat oil in a pan add Onion along with ginger garlic ,green chilies and salt saute well till transparent.

3.Then Add the above masalas and saute until the raw smell goes.

4.Add chopped tomatoes ,garam masala,and pepper and mix well.Cover and cook until tomato turns mashy.
5.Then add the crabs and 1/2 cup of water and mix well and cook covered for 7 minutes in medium flame.cook until gravy turns thick.

6. Add coconut milk and mix well.Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the gravy coats the crab pieces.

7. Sprinkle the fennel seeds and switch off the flame.

For layer

1. In a heavy-bottomed vessel. spread half of Coriander and mints then add the prawn masala in the bottom part.Top it with half of the cooked ghee rice. Sprinkle fried onion, cashews, raisins, chopped mint, cilantro and biriyani masala. and few drops of ghee on each layer of rice.