Ingredients:
500 gm chicken cleaned and washed
500 gm good quality basmati rice
2 large onions (cut lengthwise and deep fried)
2tbsp Oil
2tbsp Ghee
4 cups of good quality basmati rice washed and soaked for about 20 minutes
1/4th cup Coriander Leaves
1/4th cup Mint Leaves
2-3 Bay leaves
2 Cloves
2 tsp shah jeera or black cumin
1 tsp saffron
For Marination
2-3 Green Chilies (finely chopped)
2 tbsp Ginger & garlic Paste
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
Salt to taste
Yogurt 1/2 cup
2 tsp shah jeera or black cumin
2 tsp Red chili powder
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice :
Biryani Masala
1/4 cup Coriander Leaves (chopped finely)
1/2 cup Mint Leaves (Chopped Finely)
7-8Whole Black Pepper / Peppercorns
2-3 Bay leaves
2-3 Cloves
1”Cinnamon Sticks
2-3 Green cardamom
Method of Preparation:
Wash and soak the basmati rice for 20 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan and add the sliced onion and deep fry them till it becomes crisp and dark brown
Wash and clean the chicken and keep it aside.
In a pan, roast the bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and whole black pepper grind them into fine powder.
In a blender, mix the mint and coriander leaves in to a coarse mixture, add the ground powder and pulse the blender for a few seconds to mix everything together.
Now add this mixture with the washed chicken along with the remaining marinade mix.
Mix it all together and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
Boil the water in a heavy bottomed wide vessel and when it comes to a full boil, add some oil, ghee, shah jeera, 1-2 bay leaves, 2-3 cloves and about 1/4 ” cinnamon.
When the water comes to full boil add the soaked rice and half cook it (it should not be completely tender)
Drain the rice and keep aise, take care not to overcook it.
In the same pot (where you cooked the rice), add some ghee and spread the marinated chicken at the bottom.
Now add the half cooked rice on top of the chicken, spread some fried onions, remaining mint leaves, coriander leaves on top of the rice. Finally top it off with the saffron
The secret of dum cooking is to cover the pot. Traditionally wheat flour dough is used to cover the pot, but for convenience, you can simply use a kitchen towel.
Cover the pot with kitchen towel and put the lid on top.
Cook on high heat for 2 – 3 minutes till you see water drops inside the lid. Remove the vessel from flame.
Reduce the flame and cook the biryani in low heat for 40-45 mins until you smell the aroma.
Your biryani is now ready. Serve hot and garnish with coriander leaves and lemon wedges.
