ExpressExoticDailyCooking

Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients

• Chicken                                                :               1kg
• Onion                                                   :               4 cups (thinly sliced)
• Ginger Paste                                         :               1 ½ tsp
• Garlic Paste                                          :               2 ½ tsp
• Tomato                                                 :               3 large (thinly sliced)
• Garam Masala                                      :               ½ tsp
• Biriyani Masala                                     :               ¾ tsp
• Coconut Milk                                       :               2 cup
• Green Chili                                           :               2 Nos (thinly sliced)
• Mint and Coriander leaves                    :               1 handful (finely chopped)
• Turmeric                                               :               ½ tsp
• Chili powder                                         :               ½ tsp or as per your taste
• Salt                                                       :               to taste
• Whole Garam Masala                            :   1 tbsp. (Black Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, mace, black              pepper, nutmeg a very small pc.)
• Oil                                                         :                 3tbsp
• Basmati Rice                                         :                 2 cups

Method

Clean the chicken and keep aside.

Clean and wash the rice and keep it in a colander to drain all the water. Bring the water to boil (almost 4 times the rice, as we need to drain the water out so no need to be precise about the water.) Once the water starts bubbling away add the rice and let it cook till almost done. Just make sure it’s not smash. Drain the rice and spread it on a big plate or tray so that they stay separated.

Now in a thick bottom vessel heat the oil and add the whole garam masala. Let it splutter. Add the sliced onions and fry till they are golden brown. Now add the ginger and garlic paste and reduce the flame so that the mixture cooks slowly. After 5 minutes of frying add the turmeric, chili powder, and salt and garam masala. Cook for further 2 mins and add the chopped green chili. Fry the mixture and add the sliced tomatoes. Mix well and cover the vessel and let the mixture cook in the juice of the tomato for few minutes. Open the lid and stir occasionally. Keep doing this step till you see the oil floating. Now add the Coconut milk (I use the store bought you can also use home made) and mix well. Cook it further for 5 minutes. Now add the chicken pieces and increase the flame. So that the chicken is coated with the mixture and not braised. Once all the chicken pieces are coated with the masala. Cover it and cook for few for minutes till the chicken is cooked. It will leave its own water so please do not add water. If at all your chicken is totally dry and you feel it might get burnt add few tea spoons of water do not add too much of water.

Once the chicken is cooked sprinkle it with finely chopped mint and coriander and the drained rice. Cover the vessel once more but no need to seal. After about 7-10 minutes uncover the vessel and stir very lightly ensuring the rice is not smashed but the bottom of the vessel is also sticking to the chicken gravy. Do this once or twice and then shut the heat off and let the Biriyani stand in its steam for 10 minutes.

Serve it hot with some raita (curd and salad) or chicken Kebabs.