367 – Chicken Biryani / البرياني

Ingredients :

• 1.5 Kgs chicken (curry cut)
• 1.5 kgs Basmati rice
• 1 kg onions (finely sliced)
• 250 grams tomatoes (finely choppeds)
• 250 ml curd (plain yogurt mixed with water)
• 325 ml vegetable oil
• 50 ml ghee
• 4 pods cardamom
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 green chili peppers (sliced in half)
• A small bunch of fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
• A small bunch of fresh mint (finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 cup ginger-garlic paste
• Salt (to taste)

Directions :

Step 1 – Preparing the rice: 
1- Place the rice in a bowl and wash with water while mixing with your hands. You will notice the water becomes colored. Drain and wash again, 3-4 times, until the water becomes clear when mixed with the rice.
2- Cover the bowl with water at the end, and let the rice soak in the water while we are preparing the chicken.
3- Also, fill a large pot with water and add a large pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boiling state and keep it at that, while preparing the chicken. We will use it to cook the rice later after getting the chicken ready.

Step 2 – Cooking the Chicken: 
1- In a large pot, add the vegetable oil. Heat on medium-heat.
2- Add the cinnamon stick, the cloves, and the cardmom pods. Let infuse in the oil for 1 minute.
3- Add the sliced onions. Mix well and let cook until the onions are colored (brown) – it will take around 10-15 minutes. Mix from time to time so that the onions do not burn.
4- Add the green chilis to the onions. Cook for 30 seconds.
5- Add a handful of chopped cilantro and mind, and the ginger-garlic paste.
Note: if you dont have ready to use ginger-garlic paste, take some fresh ginger and fresh garlic, and mix with some water until you get a paste.
6- Add the spices: ground turmeric, coriander powder, and red chili powder.
7- Cook for around 10 minutes. You will notice the onion mixture is getting thick.
8- Add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes.
9- Add the chicken pieces. Mix well so that all the chicken are well coated with the spiced onion mixture.
10- Add salt (to taste).
11- Cook for around 10 minutes.
12- Add the curd (plain yogurt and water mixed) to the chicken. Mix well, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let the chicken simmer.

Step 3 – Cooking the Rice: 
1- Drain the rice from the water where it soaked.
2- Place the rice in the large pot containing boiling water, cover, and cook the rice for 15 minutes until it’s almost cooked (but not done yet). Check by touching the rice grains, they should be soft but not completely ready.

Step 4 – Combining the Rice and Chicken: 
1- Remove 1 cup of chicken sauce to use it for the rice. Cover and continue simmering the chicken over very low heat.
2- Add the garam masala to the chicken and mix well.
3- Strain the rice from the boiling water and layer it over the chicken. Dont stir – just lay the rice over the chicken evenly.
4- Keep straining the rice and layering it over the chicken.
5- Add a handful of chopped fresh cilantro and mint, over the rice.
6- Drizzle the chicken sauce we removed over the rice.
7- Cover the lid and let the chicken and rice simmer for around 10-15 minutes (over low heat) until the rice is steamed and finishes cooking.

Step 5 – Preparing the Raita: 
1- In a bowl mix plain yogurt, little water, finely sliced onions, chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper, and chopped cilantro. It’s the perfect sauce for the beryani.

Step 6 – Final Steps: 
1- Once the rice is cooked. In a large plate, first put the rice, the topped it with the chicken.
2- Serve with Raita!
Bon appetit!