I love to cook chicken biryani especially for guests. I love to see their faces lit up when I open the top of the earthen pot and they are greeted with fluffy yellow rice and the wonderful waft of delicious spices.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 chicken thighs (remove skin and fat) – cut into large chunks
- 1 tbsp rice bran oil
- 10-15 mint leaves
- 10-15 coriander leaves
Spice Mix:
- Thumb size ginger (grated)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 Tbsp fried onion
- 2 tsp salt (reduce salt, if desired)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 2 cardamon pods (split to release seeds)
- 1 Tbsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup yogurt
Par-boiled rice
- 1 cup of basmati rice
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 2 cloves
- 1/2 star anise
- 1 cardamon pod
- 1 litre of water
Assembly:
- 1 Tbsp fried onion
- 10-15 mint leaves
- 10-15 coriander leaves
- 1 tsp turmeric powder in 2 Tbsp of warm water
- 1 Tbsp rice bran oil
METHOD
- Marinate the chicken meat:
- Cut chicken thigh into large chunks (leave the bone intact with some chicken meat attached)
- Prepare the marinade by mixing all the marinade ingredients together.
- Massage marinade into the chicken. Leave chicken to marinate for at least 1/2 hour.
- Par boil the basmati rice:
- In a separare pot, boil some water with 2 tablespoons of salt.
- Add cloves, star anise and cardamon pod.
- When the water boils, add the basmati rice.
- Cook the basmati rice for about 4 mins until just cooked but still firm in the middle.
- Drain and set aside.
- Cook the biryani:
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in an earthen pot.
- Add marinated chicken and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Make sure the chicken cover the bottom of the earthen pot.
- Add fried onion, mint leaves and coriander leaves on top of the cooked chicken in the earthen pot.
- Add par boiled basmati rice.
- Pat the rice down flat with a spatula.
- Sprinkle turmeric water on top of the rice.
- Drizzle a tablespoon of oil on top.
- Cover and cook for 50 mins; first 5 mins on high, then turn heat down to low.
- Stir the rice and chicken before removing to a serving plate. Sprinkle roasted almond flakes on top before serving.
