Biryani, a dish whether veg or non-veg is loved by almost everyone.The first time when I had Biryani that to a Chicken Biryani was during my college days. It was an ordinary college day when my friends decided to eat out for lunch. They took me to a random Biryani place and ordered Chicken Biryani which changed my world as I loved the Biryani. so, basically Biryani is rice cooked with marinated veggies or meat. The meat or veggies are marinated in spice mix and yogurt and then cooked till tender. Then semi cooked rice is steam cooked with meat or veggies. In this blog I’ll be sharing my way of cooking Chicken Dum Biryani which I tried out before the lockdown.

Preparation Time: 1 Hour

Cooking Time: 1.30 Hours

Course: Main/Lunch/Dinner

Serves: 5-6

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice 2 1/2 cups

Chicken 1 kg (Big Pieces)

Yogurt 250g

Kashmiri Chili Powder 3 tsp

Turmeric Powder 2 tsp

Cumin Powder 3 tsp

Garam Masala 2 tsp

Fried Onions 1/2 cup

Lemon Juice 2 tbsp

Mustard Oil 1/4 cup

Ginger Garlic Paste 1/4 cup

Green Chilies 2

Bay Leaves 4

Cinnamon 2 inch x2

Black Peppers 2 tsp

Cardamom Pods 6

Star Anise 2

Cloves 10 Pods

Kewra Water 1 tbsp

Saffron 1/2 tsp

Milk 1/4 cup

Ghee 1 cup

Butter 1/4 cup

Chopped Coriander Leaves 1/4 cup

Chopped Mint Leaves 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Water as required

Flour Dough 1/2 cup

Fried boiled eggs 4

Directions:

1. Marination:

A. Wash the chicken well and pat dry nicely. Make vertical or horizontal slits on the large pieces of the chicken. Keep it aside.

B. Take a large bowl, put yogurt in it. Add Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Cumin Powder, Garam Masala, Ginger Garlic Paste, Lemon Juice, Mustard Oil and mix till incorporated well. Now put the chicken pieces into it and rub the marinate mix onto the pieces well between the slits. Keep it aside for an hour. If you want flavourful and tender chicken, keep it for marination overnight.

C. Take the milk in a small bowl and soak the saffron into it. Keep it aside.

2. Cooking the Chicken:

A. Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of ghee and butter to the hot pan and let it get heated.

B. Then add 2 bay leaves, one piece cinnamon, 2 cardamom pods, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 star anise, 5 clove pods and temper the oil. Now add the marinated chicken and cook till the chicken cooks well and becomes tender. Add salt to taste. Also add slit green chilies to the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, keep it aside.

3. Cooking the rice:

A. Before cooking the rice, wash the rice once with cold water. Now soak the rice in cold water for 10-15 minutes.

B. Boil sufficient water in a pot while the rice is being soaked. Once the water comes to a boil add remaining bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom pods, black pepper, star anise, cloves to the water. Also add salt to taste in the water.

C. Rinse the soaked rice and put it into the boiling water. Cook the rice till 80% is done or till it is semi cooked.

D. Once the rice will be done, a seive will be used to strain the rice from water. This will be directly spread over the chicken to make the Biryani.

4. Assembling the Biryani:

A. While the rice is getting cooked, place a tawa over the heat. Over the tawa place a heavy bottom pot with a lid. Heat both on medium heat.

B. Once the pot gets heated too, brush the bottom and sides with ghee. Divide the cooked chicken in two equal parts. Spread one part of chicken on the bottom. Now spread half of strained cooked rice over the chicken. Cover the chicken well. Pour 2 tbsp of ghee over the rice and sprinkle half of the saffron milk over it too. Also sprinkle some chopped corriander and mint leaves.

C. Now repeat the same process to make the second layer of chicken and rice. Now before sealing the pot to dum cook the biryani, sprinkle the kewra water over the rice. Now cover the pot with the lid and seal it using the flour dough. Dum cook the biryani on medium low heat for 45-50 minutes.

Serve the Chicken Dum Biryani hot, garnished with fried onions and fried boiled eggs along with salad and Raita of your choice. I served the Chicken Biryani with cucumber-onion salad and Boondi Raita.