Chicken Biryani

Basmathi rice and chicken marinated in spices and cooked in a dum style to yield a flavorful biryani.

Ingredients (240 ml cup used)

• 1 ½ cups aged basmathi rice (soaked for 20 to 30 mins, drain and set aside)
• ½ kg or 1 lb bone-in-chicken or boneless
• ¼ to ½ tsp. biryani masala powder for sprinkling in between layers
• Fried onions from 1 large onion (Learn to make Fried Onions for Hyderabadi Recipes )
• Fistful of finely chopped coriander leaves
• Fistful of finely chopped mint leaves
• 2 to 3 tbsp. Sunflower oil or ghee
• ¼ tsp saffron strands soaked in 3 tbsps. hot milk

Marination for hyderabadi chicken biryani recipe

• 1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 3 green chilies slit (adjust to suit your taste)
• ½ cup + 1 tbsp. yogurt / curd
• 2 tbsps. Lemon juice (adjust)
• 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri / byadgi red chili powder
• ½ tsp biryani masala powder
• ¼ tsp green cardamom powder
• Salt to taste

Dry Spices for rice

• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 tsp oil
• 2 small strands of mace
• 1 large or 2 small black cardamom
• 4 green cardamom
• 3” cinnamon stick
• 6 cloves
• 1 large or 2 small bay leaf
• ½ tsp pepper corn
• ½ tsp shahi jeera / caraway seeds

Instructions

• Marinate the chicken with the ingredients mentioned under marination and set aside for at least 2 hrs and overnight is best.
• This step is optional. Tie up all the dry spices for rice in a muslin cloth.
• Wash rice till the water runs clear. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Heat 2 ½ cups water in a utensil to cook rice. Add 1 tsp oil, dry spices and salt, let the water boil rapidly for 5 mins, this way the aroma released is best. Add the soaked rice and cook till it is ¾ done. Remember this is very important. Do not make the rice mushy. Drain off if any excess water is left.
• While the rice cooks, transfer the marinated chicken to a heavy bottom casserole, handi or non-stick. Add fried onions, green chilies, ½ of the mint, coriander leaves and pour in the oil or melted ghee. Mix well and level the surface.
• Layer the cooked rice evenly, add fried onions, mint and coriander leaves over the chicken.
• Sprinkle ¼ tsp to ½ tsp. biryani masala powder.
• Repeat steps of layering rice, coriander mint leaves and then fried onions.
• Pour the saffron milk all over.
• Cover the rim of the casserole with foil to trap the dum or use a cloth. Rinse a thick kitchen cloth and squeeze off the excess water, it must be just moist and not with dripping water. Make a double layer. Spread this cloth over the rim and cover the lid over the casserole.
• Place this over a thick hot tawa, set the flame to medium high such that the flame reaches all over the diameter of the casserole. Cook this way for exactly 20 mins. After 20 mins, if you have a see thru lid you can see the vapour filled.
• Now reduce the flame to min (as low as in Indian stoves or burners, where the flame barely touches tawa). Cook this way for exactly 10 to 15 mins. You can see the vapour dripping on the moist cloth. Off the flame and leave it as it is for at least 20 to 30 mins. Garnish chicken biryani and serve.