Chicken Biriyani

A traditional chicken and rice dish

• CuisineIndian
• CategoryChicken
• CourseMains

Ingredients

• 1 kgChicken pieces
• 1 cupYoghurt
• 2 tbspGarlic, minced
• 2 tbspGinger, minced
• ½ tspTurmeric powder
• 1 tspChilli powder
•  
• 2 tbspGhee
• 4 tbspOil
• 6Green cardamom
• 6Cloves
• 1 pieceCinnamon
• 1 tspPepper
• 500 gmsOnion, diced
• 3Green chillies, sliced
• 2 tbspGarlic, minced
• 2 tbspGinger, minced
• 1 kgTomatoes, chopped
• 500 gmsChat potatoes, halved
• 1 tspChilli powder
• Salt
•  
• 1 tbspGhee
• 4 tbspOil
• 400 gmsOnion, sliced
• 3Green cardamom
• 3Cloves
• 1 pieceCinnamon
• 1 tspGaram Masala
• 3 cupsLong grain rice, washed
• 1 pinchSaffron
• 2 cupsMilk
• 4 cupsWater
• 1 sheetPuff Pastry

Preparation

1. Mix yoghurt, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, chilli powder
2. Marinate chicken pieces for a few hours


3. Heat the ghee and oil in a pan
4. Add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and pepper and fry till they pop
5. Add onion, green chillies, ginger, garlic and stir till onion is soft
6. Add marinated chicken and fry till it is cooked on the outside
7. Add chopped tomatoes, chat potatoes, chilli powder and salt to taste
8. Add water if needed and cook till chicken and potatoes are cooked


9. Heat ghee and oil. Fry sliced onions in batches till brown
10. Drain on towel tissue
11. Add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and fry till they pop
12. Add garam masala and fry for a minute
13. Add washed rice and fry for a few minutes
14. Add milk, water and saffron
15. Boil and then simmer till rice is cooked


16. Layer rice and chicken alternately
17. Scatter fried onion on top
18. Cover and seal with puff pastry
19. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 45 minutes

A chicken biriyani tastes best when the chicken is with bones - boneful chicken as we call it in our house as opposed to the boneless variety. The easiest way to do this is to get a full chicken and cut it up. A previously daunting task, I tend to do this more often now. Pull the skin off using towel tissue to get a firm grip on the slippery skin. Use a sharp knife. Separate joints a bit by flexing it and then cut apart using the knife.

The chicken curry and the rice are cooked separately and then layered. A layer of brown fried onions is scattered on top. The layered disk is then cooked. Traditionally, a sticky dough is made and the lid of the biriyani pot is sealed using this. Once cooked, the dough is discarded. Great care has to be taken to see that the bottom layer does not burn.

To avoid these problems, I cover the pot with the biriyani layers with a sheet of puff pastry, taking care to see that it firmly seals the pot. It then goes into the oven. This prevents the bottom layer from burning. The puff pastry seals the pot well allowing it to cook under steam.

The puff pastry crisps nicely and can be eaten as part of the dish. Cut a corner of the pastry to expose the fragrant rice and chicken. Spoon out the rice and chicken and have a piece of crisp pastry on the side.