Festive Chicken Biriyani

Posted On May 6, 2010

Biriyani is flavored rice with a good amount of spices added with chicken or Mutton(Lamb), or Prawns, or Fish, or Eggs or vegetables.

This kind of Chicken Biriyani is so special to me and I would like to call it festive time Biriyani. During Ramzan and Bakrid festival, I used to get a box of this special biriyani from my friends. It was always filled with a nice aroma and a unique taste than the other biriyani kinds. I tried the recipe and almost I could bring the taste closer to what I used to enjoy.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken – 1kg  (preferably with bones, cut into pieces)
2. Rice – 3 cups (less than a kg), Preferably Basmati Rice, I have used normal rice.
3. Water – 3 cups
4. Oil – 3 Tsp
5. Cinamon 1 inch- 2 sticks
6. Cloves – 5
7. Cardomom – 2
8. Bay leaves – 2
9. Onion – 2, finely slit
10. Tomato – 1, finely chopped
11. Garlic paste – 2 Tsp
12. Ginger paste – 1 Tsp
13. Lemon – 1, juice of it
14. Curd(yoghurt) – 1/2 cup
15. Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
16. Chilli – 1Tsp
17. Corriander – 1 Tsp
18. Corriander leaves – 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
19. Mint leaves – 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
20. Clarified Butter – 3 Tsp
21. Salt for taste

Method:

1. Soak the rice with water for 1/2 an hour. Add oil to the heavy bottomed vessel.

2. When the oil is hot add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves and stir for a minute.

3. Add onions and fry till golden brown color. Add the ginger and garlic paste followed by chicken. Stir it for at least 5 minutes.

4. Add the 1/4 cup of coriander, mint leaves, and mix it up for 3 minutes.

5. Add spice powders turmeric, coriander and chili powder and stir for 2 minutes.

6. Now add just rice, salt and 3 1/2 cups of water and let it boil.

7. Once the water  starts boiling add curd, lemon juice, and clarified butter. Cover the lid and cook in a very low flame for 20 minutes.

8. Once the rice is cooked, garnish the biriyani with 1/4 cup of coriander leaves and serve it.

Tip: 1. Chicken Biriyani is good to go with raitha( yogurt onion salad) or simple yogurt.

2. The right level of cooked rice gives a good appearance to perfect biriyani. The taste depends upon the right level of spices that are added.