Ingredients
Marinade for chicken biryani
½ kg chicken thighs/drumsticks/legs/or large pieces
3 tbsp plain yogurt/curd
1¼ tbsp ginger garlic paste
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp red Chilli powder/Paprika
1 tablespoon garam masala/biryani masala
1 tbsp Lemon juice
For the frying of the marinated Chicken
Ingredients No 1
2 Tbsp Ghee
1 bay leaf
4 cardamoms
6 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
1 star anise
¾ tsp cumin seed
1 strand mace or grated nutmeg
1 large Onion
Ingredients No 2
½ cup mint leaves chopped fine (about 15 leaves)
1 green chili
¼ cup plain yogurt/curd
½ tsp red chili powder/Paprika
1 tsp garam masala/biryani masala
3½ cups water for pot
¾ teaspoon salt (to stir in water)
2 tablespoon fried onions (optional)
1 pinch saffron (soaked in 2 tbsp hot milk) (optional)
2 cups of basmati rice.
Method
Remove the skin of the chicken, wash and keep to drain.
In a bowl mix the yogurt, 4 pips Garlic and 1 inch ginger crushed to form paste. Add salt turmeric, Chili/paprika, Garam masala or biriyani masala, and lemon juice. Mix all together nicely and taste the marinated and add salt and spices to your taste. Then add this to the chicken - make slits where ever possible on the chicken and marinate the chicken. Rub well and cover and leave for 1 hour in fridge or keep overnight which I did.
Then wash the 2 cups of rice thrice and then fill the bowl of rice with fresh water and keep to soak. After 30 minutes drain and keep rice in a strainer.
Take a large pan and keep on medium heat and add in the Ghee and add all the ingredients (No 1) Skip any ingredient you do not have. When the spices begin to sizzle add in the thinly sliced onions and fry till light brown in colour. Do not let them burn. Then add in the marinated chicken and stir fry for around 5 minutes till pale in colour and cover and cook till chicken is tender and gravy has reduced.
Keep drying the chicken
Take Ingredients (No 2) about 15 leaves of chopped mint, 1 green chili slit and chopped, yogurt, garam masala, paprika, salt.
Mix everything well and layer chicken evenly at the bottom. Spread drained rice in a layer over the chicken. Level the rice if needed. Pour 2 cups of this water onto the sides of the pan. Gently pour the rest on top of the rice and saffron soaked milk if using.
Cover and cook on a medium flame until the rice in the chicken biryani is cooked completely but not mushy or undercooked. If the rice is still under cooked or hard and there is no water at the bottom, pour ¼ to ½ cup more boiling water depending on the kind of rice used and cook further. When done it has to be fully cooked, yet remain grainy but not mushy.
Sprinkle the rest of the mint leaves and fried onions on top. Fluff up the chicken biryani with a fork.
When serving serve from top to the bottom layer. Each serving gets biryani rice from top and chicken from the bottom layer. Enjoy chicken biryani with raita and Papadam/Papad.
NB: Side dishes, can be served with - Cucumber/Onion Raita - Boiled eggs - Papadam - onion sambal or a mint or coriander chutney
Ingredients for Raita
1 cup Cucumber
1 Onion
1 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt/Curd
pepper/salt to taste
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves.
Method
Peel the cucumber, cube. Cut the onion into small cubes, Add yogurt and add in pepper and salt, coriander leaves, cumin and garam masala, mix and keep in fridge till needed.
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