CHICKEN BIRYANI RECIPE

Biryani, the name chicken and aromatic rice enough to excite our taste buds! Chicken Biryani is one of the most popular dishes among the crowd now. A classic dish with the fusion of South Asian spices which is believed to have invented around the Mughal Empire and from there it made its way to our plates. It is indeed a complex dish with appetizing aromas and spices that tickles our taste buds but we have simplified the process. Get your senses tempted!

Watch the step by step Video Recipe in Hindi (with English subtitles)

 

Method:

Step 1: Marinate Chicken

• Take a bowl, add curd, 1tbs ginger-garlic paste, 1tbs salt, ½ tbs coriander powder, a pinch of turmeric powder, 1tbs red chili powder, a little cumin seeds and 2-3 cloves. Mix the ingredients nicely.
• Squeeze the juice of one lemon to the mixture. Mix it well so that the chicken is marinated nicely. Set aside for 1-2 hours.

Step 2: Prepare rice

• Wash the rice.
• Put on a kadhai on the stove. Pour refined oil in it and let it heat. When the oil is heated up add all the dry spices (cumin seeds, clove, bay leaf, black pepper, badi elainchi, choti elainchi, cinnamon sticks).
• Fry the dry spices till they start to crack and your nose gets all the tempting aroma of it!
• Add the washed rice to the spices and mix well. Keep stirring the rice for 2-3 minutes so the spice mixes well with the rice. Add salt as per your taste.
• Add about 1.5L of water to the rice and bring it to boil on a low flame. When the rice starts to boil do cover it with a lid and let it cook.

Step 3: Prepare chicken

• Take a pot (capacity of about 5L), add mustard oil in it and heat up.
• Add the medium cut onions to it and fry for a while. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till they start turning brown. (Keep an eye over the paste, they stick to the pot easily so keep stirring)

(Meanwhile keep checking on the rice)

• Add tomatoes to the friend onion and ginger-garlic paste and fry till the tomatoes starts to soften. Keep stirring so that the tomatoes cook up well and smoothen.
• Now, add chicken masala, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt as per taste to the fried mix. (Stir well)
• Add a little bit of water to it so that the spices mix up well and you get to taste that amazing chicken. (Avoid overcooking it)
• Now, let’s add the marinated chicken. Add it up and mix well so that the chicken is coated well with all the spices and it gets the amazing taste (My mouth is watering up, seriously!!), cover it with a lid and let it cook for about 10-15mins. (We need to cook the chicken around 70-80% not entirely)
• Add crushed black pepper to the chicken, mix up and again cover and let it cook.

Step 4: Back to rice.

• Check on the rice to see if it’s cooking well. We don’t need to cook it entirely just about 70-80%.
• When done, remove from the stove but don’t open the lid and drain. Let it rest, it helps the rice to cook well.

Step 5: Garnishing.

• In a medium kadhai, heat up oil. Add the long cut onions and fry till they are golden brown and crispy.
• Remove it on a tissue. (Placing on a tissue helps to drain excess oil)

Step 6: Drain rice.

• In a bowl drain the entire rice, check if it cooked up well and set aside.

Step 7: Back to chicken.

• Check on the chicken and see how well it is cooked. Add the fresh coriander to it.

Step 8: Layering the Biryani.

• Add half of the rice in a nice layer slowly over the chicken. Drizzle the red food color. And again add rest of the rice in another layer. Drizzle the red and yellow food color. Add the crispy fried onions and 4-5 drops of kewda for aroma. (it takes the taste to a whole new level).
• Cover it again and cook for another 20mins on a low flame. After that turn off the stove but don’t open the lid. Let it rest for another 10mins.

Now, the mouth-watering Biryani is ready to be served. Add the garnish of more crispy onions and fresh coriander and serve hot!

Notes:

1. The quantity of rice, curd and the spices are used for a serving of 4 people. You can always alter the quantity for more or less servings.
2. It looks complex but it is indeed very simple just follow the recipe.
3. Golden shila rice usually takes longer to cook so be patient.
4. Don’t burn or overcook the contents to keep the taste alive.
5. While cooking chicken do keep an eye over the rice as well so that it doesn’t over cook.
6. That’s all people. So start cooking and tempt your family and surprise their appetite with this amazing and easy to make Biryani! Happy cooking!

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