Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

For onion:

300 g onions (4 onions), sliced
50 ml oil
1 tablespoon cashew nut (split)
1 tablespoon raisins
3 tablespoons ghee

Ingredients for marinade:

20 ml (4 teaspoon) yogurt/ curd
2 tablespoon (30 g) ginger - garlic paste ( fresh and homemade )
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
25 g (2 tablespoon) chopped coriander leaves
25 g (2 tablespoon) chopped mint leaves
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
500 g chicken pieces, washed and drained water thoroughly
2 tablespoon water

For the rice:

4 black cardamom
3 cinnamon sticks
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups ( 400 g ) basmati rice
6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon ghee

For assembling:

1/2 teaspoon saffron, diluted in 1/4 cup ( 45 ml ) milk (optional)
1 tablespoon ghee

Method

For onion:

Fry 2 onions in oil on a low to medium heat until golden brown and crisp (approximately 20 minutes). When cool, crush and set aside.

Fry 2 onions in 3 tablespoon ghee on a low to medium heat till golden color and crisp. Fry cashew nut splits and raisins and keep aside.

For the chicken:

Blend the remaining ingredients with half of fried and crushed onions and rub this marinade on the chicken. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Put marinated chicken in heavy bottomed pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoon water. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 35 - 45 minutes or till done / chicken pieces are soft and gravy thickens.

For Rice:

Wash and clean rice.

Put all spices and ghee in water and boil. Add rice, and drain when it is 3/4 th done (Do not overcook rice. Each rice grain should be separated. See the photo above).

Final preparation:

Dum method:

In a heavy - bottomed vessel or biryani pot, spread a layer of chicken masala and half portion of cooked rice Make 2 layers with cooked rice and meat masala. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon ghee, saffron solution (optional) and reserved fried onions, raisins and cashew nuts.



Cover with a tight lid. Seal with maida dough on the edges of the lid. Heat a heavy - bottomed iron kadai. Keep biryani pot over it. Cook on a low heat for 25 - 30 minutes. You can find a color change on the maida seal. Open the seal carefully. Serve with raita & pickle.