Thalassery mussels biryani

Mussels dishes are etched on the Malabar food palette; this delicious biriyani is cooked just the way the netizens of Malabar would enjoy with marinated mussels masala in flavorful kaima rice. 

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Ingredients
1 kg de-shelled mussels, cleaned
5 onion, cut thin length wise
1 sprig curry leaves
3 tomatoes, chopped
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
½ cup ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
¾ tsp garam masala
Salt, as required

½ cup chopped coriander leaves / cilantro
1 cup onion, fried in ¼ cup oil and 3 tbsp ghee
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice


For marinade


1 tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Salt, as required
Oil, to shallow fry mussels


For rice


2 cups kaima rice, washed and drained
3 ½ cups boiled water
3 tbsp ghee and ¼ cup oil (the oil used for frying onion)
Salt, as required

Preparation
Clean the mussels under running water
Make a marinade by combining the listed ingredients and mix with the mussels
Shallow fry the mussels in oil until golden in color
Don't over fry the mussels as that will make them crisp
Heat a rice wok, pour oil and ghee
Add onions and fry until it turns golden. Keep aside
In same wok, add drained rice and saute for 5 minutes in medium flame
Add boiled water salt and cook it in low flame for 15 minutes


To make the masala


Heat a pressure cooker and add turmeric powder, chilli powder and chopped onion. Saute till onions turn tender
Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste to the onions, saute for some times until raw smells goes.
Add tomatoes, cook till it gets mashed.
Add 1 cup boiled water, salt, curry leaves and pressure cook for 5 minutes, or until 3-4 whistles


To make the rice


In a large pan, add the same oil and ghee that was used for frying onion
Add the rice to it. Fry for a few seconds
Add salt and mix well
Add boiled water once the rice is fried well. Leave it under the lid until the rice is cooked well


Now, add the fried mussels and lemon juice to the masala
Add half the coriander leaves and half the fried onion and blend well
Keep in low flame, and layer the rice over the masala
Mix the remaining fried onion with the left over coriander leaves, and add the garam masala to it
Now, spread the onion-coriander leaves mix onto the rice as the top layer
Close the lid and cook in dum model for 10-15 minutes in low flame
Once done, serve along with salad and pickle