HYDERABADI CHICKEN BIRIYANI

Chicken biriyani is something we like to indulge in many a times,usually on weekends.I usually prepare kerala style biriyani but this time i tried my hands on hyderabadi chicken biriyani.Both are layered biriyani ie alternate layers of rice and masala.The marination ingredients are different for both.Hyderabadi slightly spicier than the other.

The rice and the chicken is cooked separately and then arranged in alternate layers in an oven proof dish and cooked on a very low temp for about 20-30 mins for all the flavors to blend in.

For the successful completion of Recipe marathon 2,DK has awarded each of us with a trophy with a personal touch.Here is mine!!!Thanks a ton DK!!!

INGREDIENTS

For cooking rice:-

Basmati rice - 2 cups

cardamam - 2 whole

cinnamon - 1 stick

black peppercorn - 5-6 nos

bayleaf - 2 nos

water

salt to taste

For marination:-

Chicken breasts(boneless or bone in) - 2 nos,cut to medium size pieces

Fried onions - 1 cup

yogurt - 1/2 cup

cumin seeds - 2 tsp

cinnamon stick - 1

black peppercorn - 5-6

cloves - 4-5

cardamam - 3 nos

ginger - 1" piece

garlic - 2 cloves

red chilli - 4-5 nos

cilantro - a bunch

oil - 3 tbsp

salt to taste

For masala:-

Onions - 2 medium size,sliced

Ghee and oil - a tsp each

cardamam - 2 nos, whole

cloves - 3 nos

cinnamon - half a piece

marinated chicken

salt

METHOD

Grind the ingredients required for marination smoothly and transfer it to a bowl.Add the chicken pieces and marinate for atleast 4 hrs,overnight is even better.

Wash and soak the rice for about 1/2 an hr.In a deep bottom vessel bring some water to boil.Add the spices mentioned above to flavor the rice and some salt.Add rice and cook it until just done.Do not over cook the rice ,then it will get mashed up.Strain the water and keep rice aside.You will see that the rice is very fluffy and thats exactly what you should be looking for.

While the rice is cooking prepare the chicken masala.Heat some ghee and oil in a wide pan.Add cardamam,cloves and cinnamon.Stir for a fews seconds.Then add the sliced onions.Cook it till its soft.Now add the marinated chicken and cook it until its fully done.Cook it on a medium low flame.Check salt.Garnish with coriander leaves.If you have some mint leaves add that too, adds great flavor.

Preheat oven to 300 deg F.Reserve some gravy to put on top of rice in the end,use the rest for making the layers.In an oven proof dish make alternate layers of rice and masala starting and ending with rice.Pour the reserved gravy on top.Garnish with some fried onions.Cover the top with aluminium foil.Place it in the oven and cook for about 20-30 mins.If you dont have an oven you can also make the same layers in a deep vessel and cook on stove top on low heat for the same time.Serve hot with some raita.

I had done a small voting poll on what i should post more on.I thank each and everyone who participated in the poll.As you can see appetizers has clearly won.My next few posts will be exclusively on appetizers.

CHICKEN BIRIYANI.......LiveSTRONG

Biryani is a family of primarily South Asian dishes made from a mixture of spices, rice (usually basmati), meat/vegetables and yogurt. It was spread through out the Middle East and South Asia by Muslim travellers and merchants. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted". There are many kinds of biryanis and each kind has a uniqueness about it.

Here i have prepared chicken biriyani and its my hubby's all time favorite.He always asks me to prepare it whenever i ask him what he wants to eat and that is quite often.Very easy to prepare and tastes really delicious.I have prepared rice and gravy separately and then mixed it together in the end.

This is my entry to barbara's LiveSTRONG taste of yellow.

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice - 2 cups

chicken - boneless or with bone chicken breasts/thighs cut to medium size pieces

onions - 2 medium size, sliced

tomato-1 medium size ,diced

ginger-garlic paste-2 tsp+2 tsp

turmeric pdr - 1 tsp + 1 tsp

chilli pdr- 1tsp

cumin pdr - 1 tsp

garam masala -1 tsp + 1 tsp

coriander pdr-3 tsp

cinnamon stick - 1 whole piece

whole clove - 4-5

whole mace-1 tsp

whole cardamam pods - 3-4 nos

green chillies-3-4 nos,slit

water-4 cups

curd- 3 tbsp + for marination

lemon juice-few drops

coriander leaves - a bunch

fried onions to garnish

cashews and raisins to garnish

salt and pepper

ghee

METHOD

Marinate the chicken in a mixture of chilli pdr,coriander pdr,turmeric,gin-gar paste,black pepper,garam masala , cumin pdr,lemon juice and some curd for atleast 3 hrs.Wash and clean the rice 2 -3 times and keep aside.Soak it in water for atleast half an hr.

At this point of time if you want you can deep fry the chicken half way through(not for a long time else it will become dry and hard)purpose is to make the pieces little firm.I didnt fry it this time but i have done it that way also and it tastes yummy too.

RICE PREPARATION:-Drain the water from the rice and keep it aside.Warm a thick bottom vessel and put 2 tsp of ghee.When its hot put whole cinnamon stick,cardamam pods,mace and cloves.Then add a tsp of turmeric pdr.After a while put the drained rice into it and fry for some time approx. 10 mins.Then pour water to it and salt to taste.Put on high heat and cover the lid.After some time when water is not visible on top of rice,bottom rice can get burnt do then open thelid and mix the rice.After rice is cooked keep it closed for a while approx. half an hr.

GRAVY PREPARATION :-Heat a vessel and add some oil/ghee.When it is hot add gin-gar paste and green chillies.Saute for sometime and then add cut onions.Saute it and when its nicely done add coriander pdr,chilli pdr ,turmeric pdr,pepper and garam masala.Add salt to taste.Saute tht again and after a while add curd to it.Mix it well.then add the chicken pieces.Cover and cook for 10 mins and then add diced tomatoes.Cover and cook stirring in between.When gravy is thick like a paste check salt.Add some coriander leaves in the end.Fry raisins and cashews in few drops of oil and keep aside.

Now slowly mix rice and the gravy together or u can keep it in layers in the order rice,gravy and ,fried onions.Repeat this layer until everything is over.I like to mix everything together in the end rather than keeping it in layers.Now cover the lid and cook it on very low flame for 20mins.

Serve it hot with raita

RAITA

INGREDIENTS

onions-1 no, sliced

tomato-1 no,diced

green chillies -2 nos,chopped

curd-4-5 tbsp

coriander leaves to garnish

salt to taste

METHOD

In a bowl,combine onions,tomato and green chilies with some salt .Squeeze and mix it all together with hand.I know its a slightly messy job but its all worth it.Smooth out some curd with a whisk and add it to this mix.Serve it chilled with biriyani.