Place the red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, crushed coriander seeds, lemon juice and ginger garlic paste in a small bowl. Mix well, and then apply the paste to the boneless fish fillets. Leave the fish to marinate for 20 minutes.

Heat ½ cup oil in a shallow frying pan. The same pan will be used to make the fish masala later so pick a medium – large sized pan.

Once the oil is hot enough, add the marinated fish and shallow fry about 1 ½ - 2 minutes each side till fish is almost cooked through. Remove the fried fish and set aside.

In the same pan add the remaining ½ cup oil along with the sliced onions.

Cook the onion, until they become golden brown and crispy. Don’t let them burn – they will turn bitter. Take about 2 tablespoons of the crispy onions for the topping.

Add the whole spices and fry for a minute, and then add the ginger garlic paste.

Fry for another minute, and then add the chopped tomatoes along with the powdered spices, along with any leftover spices from the fish marinade.

Once the tomatoes and powdered spices have been added, saute on medium-high heat till the water from the tomatoes dry up, and they get soft and caramelized. It maybe necessary to add a tablespoon or two of water as needed to ensure that the spices don’t burn. This stop is called ‘bhono’ in Indian and Pakistani cooking, and it requires cooking at a medium-high flame, while stirring every couple of seconds – this ensures that the rawness from the powdered spices goes away, while also ensuring that the gravy comes together. The step is complete when the oil separates from the sides, and rises to the top.

Once the fish biryani masala mixture is ready, set it aside.

Start preparing the rice, after the fish has been set to marinate.

Thoroughly wash the Basmati rice, and soak it in water for 15 minutes.

Place a medium pot over medium-high heat and bring 1 ½ litres of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice along with salt, bay leaf and cloves. Wait for it to come to a boil, and then cook for around 5 minutes. The rice should be about 65% cooked – test by breaking the rice with your finger or tasting it (this is what I do). The rice should have a bite to it – it shouldn’t be raw, and it shouldn’t be cooked completely. Drain the rice, and set aside.

Take a large pot or dutch oven – it should be enough to fit the rice, the fish and the masala and still have 2 – 3 inches space from the top.

Layer ⅓ rice at the bottom, and then add ⅓rd of the fish masala gravy. Top with another ⅓ of the rice, followed by the fish masala gravy, and ½ of the fish pieces. Top with the remaining rice, the remaining fish masala gravy, and the fried fish.

Sprinkle with coriander / cilantro leaves, mint leaves, the remaining fried onions, lemon slices and green chilies.

Cover the pot and layer the lid with aluminium foil, or a kitchen cloth to seal the lid tightly. This is important as it helps in ensuring that the steam doesn’t escape. A heavy weight can be kept on the lid as well to help in this step.

To serve, carefully mix the biryani using a small plate or a rice spoon. Move the rice from the sides, and lightly mix ensuring that the rice and the fried fish doesn’t break. Serve the fish biryani hot with yoghurt or raita.