Chicken Biryani Recipe

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Recipe Ingredients

Chicken with bones – 2 lbs, cut
Basmati Rice – 2 cups
Water – 8 cups
Yogurt (Curd) – 1.5 cups
Potatoes – 1, large (cubed) – optional
Oil – 3 tbsp
Clarified Butter (Ghee) – 2 tbsp
Garlic – 2 tsps (minced)
Ginger – 2 tsps (minced)
Green Chili – to taste
Cinnamon Stick – 2″pc
Bay Leaves – 2
Black Cardamom – 1
Mace – 3 pcs
Green Cardamoms – 4
Cloves – 4
Whole Peppercorns – to taste
Golden Raisins – 1 tbsp
Cashews – 1 tbsp (heaped)
Salt – to taste
Black Cumin – 1 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder – to taste
Saffron (Kesar) – 1/4 tsp
Mint Leaves – 2 handfuls (chopped)
Cilantro – 1/4 cup (chopped)
Fried Onions – 1 cup (divided)

Recipe Method

Wash and soak the Rice for a minimum 1/2 hour.
2. In a pan, bring 8 cups of water to boil.
3. Once boiling, add Green Cardamoms (2), Bay Leaves (1), Salt and Oil (1tsp).
4. Add in the washed Rice to boiling water.
5. Once the Water starts boiling again, time and cook for 5 minutes (the Rice needs to be 3/4 way done).
6. Drain the water from the Rice and keep aside.
7. In a separate bowl, mix Saffron and Water (1tbsp), keep aside and allow it to soak.
Heat a pan on medium heat, add in the Oil and the Clarified Butter.
Once hot, add in the Cashews and Golden Raisins, fry for a couple of minutes till the cashews get a light golden color.
Remove from the Pan. Make sure you drain all the Oil. Keep aside.
Add in the balance of whole spices – Cinnamon Stick, Mace, Bay Leaf, Black & Green Cardamom, Peppercorns & Cloves.
Fry for under a minute.
Add in Black Cumin (use regular Cumin if Black is not available).
Allow them to sizzle.
Add in Ginger & Garlic, fry for another minute. Keep stirring.
Add in the washed, cleaned pieces of Chicken. Mix well.
Once the Chicken looks sealed, add in the following while stirring constantly – Yogurt, Fried Onion (1/2 cup), Cilantro (save some for garnish), Mint, Green Chili, Potatoes and the dry spices – Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Red Chili & Salt.
Mix very well. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes (the chicken should be 3/4 of the way done).
Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (aprox 121 degrees C).
Coat an oven-proof dish with a little oil.
Start by layering the Chicken at the bottom of the dish along with a few pieces of Potatoes (saving the gravy for top layer).
Fluff up the Rice and add a layer of it on top of the Chicken with half of the Rice.
Layer the balance of the potatoes and all the gravy on the rice layer.
Next spread the balance of the Rice.
Layer the Cashews, Raisins, Fried Onions, Cilantro and Saffron.
Drizzle a little bit of Oil.
Cover with an air-tight lid or a foil and bake for 1 hour or till the potatoes are cooked.
Once out of the oven, take a ladle and mix it gently but well.
Allow it to sit for 5 minutes and serve with ‘Cilantro & Mint Raita’