Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the chicken:

750 g chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt

Marinate chicken pieces with turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt for 20 minutes and pressure cook for 10 minutes ( Keep marinated chicken pieces in a bowl. Close pressure cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat for 3 whistles. Switch off the heat and allow to cool naturally . Reserve chicken stock for cooking rice ).

For the Rice:

2 cups basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whole gram masala / spices

3 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 cardamoms

1/2 teaspoon ghee
Water and chicken stock for cooking

Take plenty of water in a pan; add chicken stock and bring to boil . Add whole garam masala / spices , ghee, salt and rice. Cook till the rice is three- forth done. Drain out the water.

For the gravy:

45 ml ( 3 tablespoon ) cooking oil / ghee
5 onions, finely sliced
15 cloves garlic, crushed
2 - inch piece ginger, crushed
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 bunch mint leaves, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder

Salt to taste (approximately 1 1 /2 teaspoon )

Method

Heat cooking oil / ghee in a pan / kadai. Fry sliced onions till golden color. Add crushed ginger and garlic. Saute on a low heat for 4-5 minutes. Add cooked chicken pieces, chopped tomatoes, chopped mint - coriander leaves, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt to taste. Fry on a low heat for 8 - 10 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes till the gravy thickens and fragrant.

Final preparation of Biryani:

In a handi or heavy bottomed vessel. spread a layer of chicken gravy and half portion of cooked rice. Make 2 layers with cooked rice and chicken gravy. Seal with atta dough on the edges of the lid ( photo below ). Cook on a low heat ( dum ) for 25 minutes. It is preferable to place an iron tawa / iron kadai under the handi / vessel to prevent the gravy / mixture from burning. You can see a color change in the seal. Open the seal and serve with raita / pickle....