CHICKEN BIRIYANI

Biriyani" is a heavy, rich and delicious rice based food.  It is served especially on the occasions of festivals and celebrations. There are different varieties of biriyani according to the ingredients we use.  The basic ingredients are rice and the combination of some spices along with the veg or non- veg we choose. At the early stages of my cooking I felt very tough to prepare biriyani; but as time passed it became an easy job for me.  Here I'm sharing the recipe of chicken biriyani that I cooked for Rickson on his birthday.

INGREDIENTS

For rice

Biriyani rice - 500 gm
Water - 1 and 1/2 to 2 litre
Cardamom - 3-4 nos
Cloves - 4 nos
Cinnamon - 3 pieces
Salt - as required
Oil - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

For marinade chicken

Chicken - 500 gm
Curd - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

For masala

Onion large - 3 nos
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 6 - 8 cloves
Green chilly - 5 - 6 nos
Tomatoes big - 3 nos
Curry leaves - 2 stalks
Coriander leaves - 3/4 cup
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Instant biriyani masala - 2 and 1/2 heap tbsp
Ghee - 100 gm
Salt - as  required

For garnishing

Cashew nut splits - 50 gm

Sultanas - 50 gm

Onion - 1 medium sized

Rose water - 2 tbsp

        or

Rose white - 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

How to prepare

Rice

Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes.
Boil almost 2 litres of water along with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
When it boils add soaked rice, salt, and 1 tsp oil.  Boil the rice till its 3/4.  You should not boil the rice very finely, if it do so your biriyani will become a mess.  So take care about the rice.
When it is done add the lemon juice with out seeds and strain the rice and spread it in a large dish and keep it aside. 

For masala preparation

Marinade

Clean and wash chicken pieces (you can cut chicken in to small, medium or large pieces as your wish)and squeeze it to drain the water.
Marinate with pepper powder, salt, curd and turmeric powder.
Keep it for half an hour.

Cutting vegetables

Slice onions very finely.  

Crush ginger, garlic and green chilies.

Chop coriander and mint leaves finely.

Cut tomatoes in to small dices.

For garnishing

Wash and drain sultans.

Slice onions very finely.

Chop coriander leaves

Cooking

Heat a kadai or thick bottomed vessel and add 3/4 of ghee and fry onions for garnishing till it becomes brown and keep it aside.
Add sultanas and fry till brown and  keep it aside.
Then add cashew splits to the ghee and fry till t becomes light brown and keep it aside.

To the remaining ghee add sliced onions and saute till its colour changes.
Then add crushed items and saute very well till it becomes light brown.
Then add biriyani masala and saute finely till the ghee starts to separate from the mixture.
This is the time to add tomatoes,chopped coriander and mint leaves and of course curry leaves.
Add salt as required.  While adding salt; you should remember that you already added salt to the chicken while marination.
Saute well till it cooks well and add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well.
Cook covered in a medium flame till the chicken becomes tender.
You should stir the masala every now and then.  

Setting biriyani

Take a thick bottomed vessel with flat aluminium lid.
Spread some ghee at the bottom of the vessel.
Above that sprinkle a thin layer of rice.
Then spoon the whole chicken masala evenly.
Scatter some coriander leaves, rose water and again spoon the remaining rice evenly on the top of the masala and scatter the remaining coriander leaves and rose water.  Pour the remaining ghee evenly above the rice. Also sprinkle half of the fried onions, cashews and sultanas.
Cover  the vessel with lid and put a heavy weight above that and cook on a low fire for 10 - 15 minutes.
                                                         OR
You can use a oven proof dish to set the biriyani and bake it for 15 minutes or till the top becomes light brown.

While serving; slowly mix the biriyani from one side and spoon it into the plates and garnish with fried onions, cashews and sultanas.
Serve with any raita, chutney, papad etc according to your wish.