Kadukka Biriyani / Mussels Biriyani

Yet another Sea Food Delicacy!!

Ingredients (Serves 2 to 3 people)

Basmati/Biriyani rice: 500 gms
Kadukka/Mussels: 1 Kg
Ginger : 25gm
Garlic : 25gm
Green Chillies : 50gm
Coriander Leaves : 50gm
Tomato : 2 nos
Onion  : 3 nos (includes 1 for garnishing)
Cashew : as necessary
Raisins : as necessary
Cloves : 3 nos
Cardomom: 3
Cinnamon :  2 nos
Curry Leaves : as necessary
Ghee : 6 Table spoon
Oil : 6 Table spoon
Salt : To taste
Turmeric powder : 1/2 Tea Spoon
Garam masala : 1/4 Tea spoon
Sweet Cumin Seed powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Lemon : 1 nos
Water

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Method

Crush ginger, garlic, green chillies and coriander leaves
Steam the mussels and take out the flesh and clean it well
Marinate the mussels with turmeric powder and salt and keep for 20 to 25 minutes.
Wash the rice and strain it and keep aside.
To a pan add little ghee/oil and saute chopped onion (2 onions).
Then add crushed ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute till the raw smell goes
Now add chopped tomatoes and salt and cook well
To this add marinated mussels and stir well

To a pan add 3 table spoons of ghee and 3 table spoons of oil.Add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon to it
Now add rice and fry the rice till it starts to pop.
Take double ratio of water to rice.That is, for 1 glass of rice, 2 glass of water.
Boil water and pour it to rice
Add a pinch of turmeric, garam masala powder, sweet cumin seeds powder, salt to taste and squeeze half a lemon.
Stir well, close the lid and cook in low flame.

To garnish :
Fry 1 onions , cashew and raisins
Dice few coriander  leaves.
Add little lime juice

Layering:
In a broad vessel, first add a layer of rice, put a layer of mussels masala on top of it. Add little ghee, few drops of lime juice,  and the fried onion, cashew, raisins and corriander leaves that we made ready for garnishing.
On top of this put another layer of rice
Repeat the process of layering rice, mussels and garnishing.
Close the vessel with a tight lid ( you may seal the lid with some dough also) and keep in low flame for about 5 to 10 minutes
Serve Hot

Note:

After steaming clean the black dirt from the bottom of the mussel

Mussels are naturally little salty, so be careful while adding salt to your dish