Chicken Biriyani
Ingredients :-
For the fragrant rice
Basmathi Rice –3 cups (I used India Gate Basmathi rice)
Bayleaf – 2
Cinnamon – 2, 1” piece
Cloves – 6 no.s
Cardamom – 6 no.s
Fennel seeds – ¾ tsp.
Ghee –3 tbsp
Cilantro – few
Mint leaves – few
Rose essence– ½ tsp
Sugar – 1/2 tsp
Saffron/ yellow food color– a generous pinch(optional)
Warm milk – ¼ cup
Biriyani masala powder – 2 pinches
For the Chicken gravy
Chicken cut into big pieces – 1 kg
Ghee –4 tbsp (solid)
Thinly Sliced Onion- 3 medium
Coriander powder – 2 dessertspoons (heaped)
Sliced Tomato –1 cup (pureed)
Thick curd – 1/2 cup ( at room temperature)
Biriyani masala powder – 11/2 tsp.
Chopped Coriander leaves – a handful
Chopped Mint leaves – a handful
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Salt – as reqd
For Marinating Chicken
Red Chili Powder – 1 tbsp (level)
Salt – 2 tsp.
For Grinding
Green Chillies – 6 numbers
Garlic – 1 whole big bulb
Ginger – 1 big piece
Grind them together to a smooth paste in ur grinder. Keep aside.
Almonds – 8 (presoaked & blanched)
Cashewnuts -10 (presoaked)
Poppy seeds – 1 tsp ( soaked in hot water)
Grind cashews, poppy seeds and almonds to a smooth paste in ur grinder.
For Garnish
Broken cashew nuts – 1/4 cup
Raisins – 1/4 cup
Dalda – as needed
Boiled eggs – 2
Method:-
For the Chicken gravy
Mix together the ingredients for marinating chicken. Marinate the chicken pieces and allow it to stand for half an hour at room temperature. Fry the chicken pieces for a minute on each side/ till the chicken turns reddish.
Heat ghee and add the onions and saute them till golden brown. Reserve 2 tbsp. of fried onions for garnish.
Mix in the ground green chili, ginger and garlic paste and saute them for 7 minutes. Add coriander powder and sauté for a minute and then add the pureed tomato. Stir till oil starts to separate. Remove from heat & let the mixture cool down. Stir in the curd & bring back to heat. Keep mixing for 5-7 minutes till all the water from the curd evaporates.
Mix the ground almond and cashewnut paste with 2 cups water. Add this solution to the masala paste and bring to a boil. Now add the fried chicken pieces, coriander leaves, mint leaves, curry leaves and garam masala powder, mix well, cover and cook for 30 mins on low heat.There should be some thick gravy left. Switch off the stove.
Chicken Kurma
For the fragrant rice
Wash and drain the rice well. Heat ghee and add all the spices. When fragrant add the rice and fry till opaque. Add 6 cups of boiling water, cilantro, mint leaves and salt into it. Bring to a second boil, lower heat and cover cook rice till soft and all the water is absorbed. Let it stand undisturbed for 10 more mins.
For garnish
Heat a little dalda in a pan and roast cashews and raisins till brown and keep it aside.
For the layering and dum
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Grease a big oven proof dish with ghee/dalda.
Mix sugar, masala powder, saffron/ yellow food color and rose essence with warm milk and keep aside.
Take a big vessel and smear it with ghee, add half the cooked rice Sprinkle a little rose –saffron milk on the rice. Spread the chicken pieces and gravy over the rice, followed by the remaining rice. Cover the dish tightly with an Al foil.
Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for 30 minutes. You could cover the top of the biriyani with a butter paper to prevent it from drying out.
Ready to be baked
At the time of serving garnish with fried onions, cashews, raisins and boiled eggs.
