To-Die-For Chicken Biryani

A succulent Biryani without doubt makes weekend lunch extra special. I remember, eagerly looking forward to those Fridays in Qatar, when mom  decided to cook Biryani for lunch. That whole morning, aromas from the kitchen mesmerized our nostrils. Truly, Biryani is a regal dish brought to the Indian Subcontinent by Muslim travelers and merchants. Below is my Biryani recipe. And let me know how it turns out for you.

For Biryani Rice:

Basmati rice - 4 cups

Clarified butter - 1 tbsp

Rose water – 2 tbsp (optional)

Saffron – 3 strands (optional)

Milk- 2 tbsp (optional)

Salt - To taste

Lemon - 1/2

Biryani masala powder - 2 tsp to sprinkle(optional)

For Chicken Marinade:

Boneless Chicken - 1/2 kg or 3lbs

Yogurt/Curd - 2 tbsp

Coriander leaves - A handful

Mint leaves(Pudhina)- A handful

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 3 tsp

Chilli powder - 3-4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Nutmeg powder - 1 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Pepper - 5-6 tsp

For Biryani masala:

Clarified butter - 2 tbsp

Cinnamon powder - 2 tsp

Bay leaf - 1 - 2

Cloves powder - 2 tsp

Cardamom powder - 2 tsp

Onions - 2

Garlic paste - 3 tsp

Ginger paste - 2 tsp

Tomato puree - 2 tbsp

For Garnishing:

Boiled eggs - 2

Cashews & Raisins - roasted in ghee/butter

2 sliced onion fried in ghee/butter

Note: 1 cup rice requires 2 cups of water

Preparation:


Step 1:

• Marinate the chicken pieces and allow it to stand for an hour.

Step 2:

• Soak the rice for 30 minutes.Wash and drain the rice well. Heat little ghee in a pan,and roast the rice for 4-5 minutes.Add water and salt into it. 
• Cover and cook rice till soft and all the water is absorbed. Allow the rice to stand for 15 -20 minutes.
• Now in a bowl mix rose water with saffron strands and milk. Sprinkle this over the cooked rice, followed by squeezed lime juice.

Step 3:

• In a pressure cooker, saute the onions in oil until the onions turn translucent. Add all ingredients mentioned under 'Biryani Masala' to it. Cook the masala till the raw flavor leaves the masala. Then add the marinated chicken to it.
• Mix the chicken well with the masala and close the pressure cooker. Do not use weight on the pressure cooker since we are using boneless chicken in this recipe. Do not add water.
• Cook the chicken for 20 minutes between low and medium flame. Open the pressure cooker and allow it to cook till excess water evaporates.

Step 4:

• Heat a little ghee in a pan and roast cashews and raisins till brown and keep it aside.Now add  sliced onion and fry them until they are well browned.

Step 5:

• Now take a serving glass bowl and layer it with a thin layer of chicken gravy and then the rice.
• Repeat the above step.
• Garnish this with the fried onions, raisins, cashew nuts and coriander leaves.
• Set the oven to 200 F and cover the serving dish with aluminum foil and keep it in the oven for 10 - minutes.
• Serve the steaming Biryani with Raita, Pickle or Pappad.

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Tags: Food