Biryani (Chicken or Mutton)

0
Written by Rashmy & Surath Chatterjee Family

There are 4 steps to making a biryani: Marinate, Cook Meat, Cook rice, Layer

Really traditional biryani does not cook the meat, rather it lets it cook when its in the rice- its called ‘Dum’. I have not had the courage to try that yet as I am afraid it will be raw

Ingredients

For marinade

  • Chicken with bone 600 gas (1.3 lbs)
  • Ginger garlic paste – 1 ½ tbsp
  • Green chillies juliennes – 5
  • Yogurt- 1 ½ cup
  • Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
  • Red chili powder – 1 ½ tsp
  • Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
  • Salt

For Rice

  • 2 cups soaked Basmati Rice (soaked for 10 mins)
  • Water – 3 cup
  • Bay Leaf – 2
  • Cloves: 4
  • Black cardamom 2
  • Anise star 2
  • Cinnamon stick 1″
  • Chicken cubes

To cook chicken

  • Ghee: 1.5 tbsp
  • 3 cloves, 1″ cinnamon stick, 2 black cardamom, 1 star anise

To layer

  • Fried onion : 1 large sliced thin
  • Garam Masala Powder – ½ tsp
  • Finely chopped coriander leaves – 4 tbsp
  • Finely chopped mint – 3 tbsp
  • Ghee – 2 tbsp
  • Saffron strands – ¼ tsp

Charcoal 2 pieces

Method

  1. Marinate chicken for 2 hours. If mutton, marinate overnight
  2. Wash rice and soak for 10 mins. Heat 2 ½ cups water in a utensil and bring it to boil.
  3. Then add solid spices, chicken billion and cook until ¾ done. It is very important that the rice should not be over cooked.
  4. Do not make the rice mushy. Drain off any excess water is left.
  5. Soak the saffron in hot water.
  6. Separately fry 1 large onion sliced thin
  7. Now cook meat. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan, add the solid spices, add the chicken and fry until 3/4 done
  8. Layering. In a casserole
    • Layer the rice evenly and thinly; add a layer of fried onion, mint, coriander, garam masala, ghee, saffron
    • Add a layer of meat
    • Repeat the steps. You should end with a thin layer or rice
  9. Now take a half onion, scoop out the insides so it looks like a little cup. Pour ghee in it
  10. Heat the pieces of charcoal until they are alight. Move them to the ghee in the onion.
  11. It’s important to catch this smell, so when you are adding the charcoal, make sure you have aluminum foil ready. Once you have put the charcoal in, quickly cover tight with the foil and a lid. CAPTURE THE SMELL OF THE CHARCOAL
  12. Put it in the oven on sim and you can leave it there for an hour or so. You can also put it on the stove.

Normally had with raita and fine chopped salad (cucumber, tomato, cilantro, onion, lemon, salt)

Leave a comment