How to cook Crab Masala :

Make a paste of garlic,ginger, 2 to 3 bird's eye chillie/kanthari mulaku (or) 4 green chillies and set aside.

Heat a Ghee/Oil in the frying pan and add thinly sliced onion, remaining 2 bird's eye chillie/kanthari mulaku (or) 4 green chillies and saute until it is translucent,

Add the ginger,garlic,green chilli paste, little chopped mint leaves; saute until it give off their aroma and begin to get slightly darker.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt to taste and combine well until the raw smell is gone.

Add yogurt and mix well; now add cleaned crab and coconut milk. Combine everything together, adjust the salt.If the masala turns dry then add little more of coconut milk.

Cover and cook on low-medium flame for 15-20 minutes or until the gravy becomes little thick and crab cooked through.

Optional - Add crab egg/ponnu (if your using it) and boil it for couple of minutes and remove the gravy from the heat.

How to cook the Rice:

Soak the rice for 20 mins and drain keep it aside.

In a thick bottom vessel, add the ghee/oil to it.Add the whole spices; cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves to the pan and saute for a min.

Add the drained rice and saute for few minutes. Add the required warm water to the rice

Add the little lemon juice and cook the rice at high; heat till the water starts boil and cover the lid.

Now reduce the heat to low and cook till for 8-10 mins;You have to par cook the rice- 3/4 cooked and rest will get cooked during dum. (Note : Do not over boil the rice.To check if the rice is done you can take a grain of rice out and press in between your thumb and forefinger. If the grain breaks into 3 parts, it means your rice is cooked just right.)

When 3/4th rice cooked; drain the excess water immediately and spread it out on a flat tray/plate, sprinkle the lime juice and set it aside.

For Garnish :

Heat ghee and fry the thinly sliced onion till golden color and crispy for about 15 minutes; sprinkle little sugar to caramelize, remove and drain on to the paper towel.

Now fry cashews and then raisins until they turn golden color, drain and remove on to the paper towel and keep it aside. (Note : Save the leftover ghee for layering the biryani)

Now it is time for Dum

Dum is the process of layering the crab and rice, then slow cooking it by sealing the vessel with a layer of dough, and is cooked on dum; steaming over coals. Since we do not have coals here is alternative ways to do it.

Cooking in Oven :

Preheat oven to 350 degree F/180 degree C.

Meanwhile make a dough out of the wheat flour/maida with little water, the same way you would do it for chapati and set it aside.

In a oven proof dish, grease your cooking dish with ghee and spread crab masala and with cooked rice.

Sprinkle fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, chopped pineapple pieces,chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves,sprinkle left over ghee and few drops of saffron milk and 1 tsp of the rose essence over the rice.

Close with tight fitting heat resistant lid; seal the edges of the lid with above prepared dough. (Note : There should not be even the slightest opening.) (or) if you don't prefer sealing it with dough, then close it with aluminium foil, crimp along the side and and bake it for 15-20 mins.

When it is done, remove and keep the dish covered until serving.

Cooking in Stove top :

Place flat cast iron skillet or tawa on the lowest burner of your stove. The flame should be at the lowest setting.

To the crab masala and layer the cooked rice;sprinkle fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, chopped pineapple pieces,chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves,sprinkle left over ghee and few drops of saffron milk and 1 tsp of the rose essence over the rice.

Close with tight fitting heat resistant lid; seal the edges of the lid with above prepared dough. (Note : Do not let any steam escape) and place the biryani vessel on top of the iron skillet or tawa and cook on low heat for 15 mins and turn off the flame.

Let it rest unopened on tawa for another 15 mins and break open the seal; now dum is also done.

Serve hot with Raita, Pickle or Biryani Chammanthi and Pappadam on the side and Enjoy!