Chicken Biryani

I am posting after almost 2 weeks, haven't cooked anything which requires more than 15 minutes recently. It's mid-year primary school exam time in Singapore, and my son is preparing for it. So,other than my gym time, I have been spending my days trying to decipher word problems of chicken and legs, car and bike wheels , ratios and fractions, area etc.....not to forget problems involving batteries, magnets....learning about parts of insects, leaves..and what not. I seem to be learning a lot every 3 months during exam time here...:) ....well , which gives me no time for cooking. However, I had made this biryani some time back for my korean guests and had clicked a lot of pictures. So, in the past week, I sorted the pictures after my 5th grade exam studying was done, a few at a time and now today is the day to post one of the most delicious recipes, I have learnt.... :)

Biryani cooking is a long process. The vegetables or meats are slow cooked along with rice in a sealed pot with aromatic spices...to make the utmost flavorful yet one-dish meal. Make this for a party or a get-together, and that is the only thing you need to make...with a side of salad. Earlier, I used to think that biryani is some what like pilaf(stir-fried rice) presented in layers with meat or vegetables. 

Last year, I decided to learn how to make a good biryani (minus the added oil/ghee, yet flavorsome and which will not be similar to a pulav....err..stir fried rice...:). My fb friends as usual came to my rescue. I posted a question on my wall and was flooded with replies and suggestions. What they all said is....1. "biryani is "shahi" :) ... to make it shahi ... do not skimp on crispy fried onions/potatoes.(I find deep-frying very tedious, yet addictive...if I deep-fry one day....for the next 2-3 days, I would do that...and that is certainly not good, so I try to avoid :) ) 2. Add ghee in deep pockets of the layers of rice/meat/vegetables while giving "dum" (explained later....) 3. Use fresh spices and herbs. 

I have tried many biryani recipes, since then, with chicken/vegetables and eggs and settled on a recipe that requires minimum fat(about 1 tbsp ghee for flavor) and can be used for all three versions with little modifications for each. This recipe is based on my friend Durga Arivan's famous "foodiemomcooks" recipe.

 Ingredients:

For chicken marination:

• 1 and half kg chicken (mixed pieces of thighs and breast, with and without bones)
• 1 cup curd
• juice of half a lemon(about 2 tbsp)
• 1 and 1/2 tbsp of ginger and garlic grated
• 1 tbsp kasoori methi
• 1 tsp each of turmeric/coriander/cumin/chili powder and salt(about 1-2 tsp)
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp of orange or red color(optional)

 For biryani rice:

• 2 cups of cooked basmati rice
• 2 large onions(one for chicken gravy and one for topping)
• 2 tomatoes
• whole garam masala:  2 bay leaves  4-5 cloves, 7-8 peppercorns, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 3-5 cardamom pods
• other spices: 1 tsp each of coriander, cumin, turmeric and salt, 1 tbsp of garam masala
• 1-2 green chilies
• A bunch of mint and coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp ghee plus 1 and 1/2 tsp oil (you can use ghee too)
•  Nuts (cashew nuts and raisins) about 2 tbsps -- optional
• A large pinch of saffron soaked in 1/4 cup of warm milk

 Recipe:

Chicken preparation part 1:

• Wash and cut the chicken to about 1-2 inch pieces. Drain the water and dry with kitchen paper. 
• Add a tsp of turmeric, ginger and garlic paste, salt and lemon juice. Mix the chicken in this marinade and keep it aside for 15-30 minutes.

• Make a mix of curd and dry spice powders. Add kasoori methi and food color(optional). Check and add more salt if needed. Pour this marinade over the chicken. Mix well.

• Keep this chicken aside for about 3 hours to overnight. (I kept it overnight)
• When you are ready to cook the biryani, preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with foil. 
• Spread out the chicken , over the foil. Cover with another foil and make a sealed packet.

• Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Last 5 minutes, open the foil and let it bake uncovered so as the liquid from the marinade dries out.
• Take the tray out of the oven and let the chicken cool.

Chicken Preparation part 2:

• Chop the chili, onion and tomatoes in long slices.

• Heat a tbsp of ghee in a wok, add whole spices and heat them for a minute.

• Add one chopped onion and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add Tomatoes and stir-fry for further 2-3 minutes till the tomatoes are mushy. 

• Add the powdered spices and the leftover marinade and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

• At this point, add the chicken and mix everything well. 

• Cook for about 5 minutes till the chicken is mixed well with the gravy.
• The chicken is ready for the biryani

Rice:

• I cook rice in a microwave to get the perfect separate grains, yet it is soft.
• You can cook the rice in a pressure cooker or on stovetop or a rice cooker. 
• You can flavor the water with whole spices and then later discard.
• I used 2 cups of long grained basmati rice with about 2 and half cups of water. The water level should be about 1 cm above the rice level when you begin cooking the rice.
• Allow the rice to cool.

Other preparation:

• Chop onion in long slices. Potatoes in discs.
• Heat 1 tsp of oil/ghee in a pan. Keep the heat high and drop the onion slices in hot oil. Keep stirring them till they are cooked and somewhat browned or darkened. I use this version of fried onions. They are not crispy but with the same flavor.(You can do same with the potatoes-- I haven't used the potatoes)

• Drain them on paper towel and keep them aside. 
• In the same pan, stir fry the cashewnuts and raisins and keep them aside.
• Heat about 1/4 cup of milk in the microwave or stove top and add a big pinch of saffron to it. Keep it aside.

• So, now it's time to assemble the biryani. Keep the cooked rice, saffron infused milk, fried onions(and potatoes--optional) and fried nuts together ready to assemble the biryani.

Assembling the biryani:

• It will have 2 layers of chicken and 2 layers of rice with topping of saffron milk, onions, and coriander.
• You need a deep pan for biryani. 
• Lightly grease the bottom of the pan with a half a tsp of ghee(or spray it with a oil spray). Arrange the potato discs at the bottom. If not using the potatoes, put half of the chicken mixture. Press it down flat. 
• Next arrange the rice layer. Press the rice down on the chicken firmly with a spatula.
• Drizzle few drops of saffron milk on the rice.
• Repeat to get another layer of chicken, rice and then milk. 
• Spread the fried onions on top. 
• Also add, fresh chopped coriander and nuts and drizzle the remaining saffron milk.
• Now, cover the pan with the tight fitting lid and cover the gaps with a foil or chapati dough.
• Place this biryani pan on a skillet which is heating on a low to medium heat.
• Let it cook for 20-30 minutes. This process is called "dum"

• Alternatively, if you are using an oven proof cookware, you can do the final step in an preheated oven at 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
• Serve and eat :D 

To get the barbecued smoked flavor in the biryani:

• I like the barbecued smoked flavor in my biryani. 
• Heat a piece of charcoal on the open flame of your stove.

• Once the charcoal is hot, keep it a steel plate and put the plate with the charcoal in it on top of the cooked biryani.
• Drizzle few drops of oil or ghee, the charcoal will start to smoke. 
• Immediately, cover the lid on top of the smoke so as the smoky flavor envelops the biryani.

• Do try, it gives it an amazing flavor :D

Quantity:

• Serves about 8-9 people as a full meal.  
• I didn't use all the rice, maybe about 3/4 of the full quantity.

Notes:

• You can make the same recipe, without the marinating time for vegetarian or egg based version.

egg biryani 

vegetable biryani

• You can increase the chili powder and salt in the marinade and the chicken preparation according to your spice level.
• And you can certainly deep-fry the onion and potato topping.... :), that gives the authentic flavor to the biryani.