Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani is a aromatic and spiced layered rice dish that consists of marinated chicken layered with aromatic basmati rice and spices. Here’s a guide to making this classic dish, step by step:

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Marinade:

1 kg (2.2 lbs) chicken parts (preferably bone-in)

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

Salt to taste

For the Rice:

2 cups basmati rice

4 cups water

1 bay leaf

4 green cardamom pods

4 cloves

1-inch cinnamon stick

Salt to taste

For the Biryani Assembly:

3 large onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup cooking oil or ghee

2 green chilies, split lengthwise

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)

Chop mint. 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

A few strands of saffron dissolved in 1/4 cup warm milk

1 teaspoon garam masala

Juice of half a lemon

Instructions:

Marinate the Chicken:

Boil water in a pan; skim it; reserve it to pour over the chicken in a big bowl with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt. Drizzle with oil, and mix well to evenly coat chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour; overnight is best.

Prepare the Rice:

Wash basmati rice in cold water until the water turns clear to remove excess starch. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes, then strain.

Steps: In a large pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add the bay leaf, green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick and salt. Add the soaked and drained rice to the boiling pump. Cook until the rice is about 70 percent done—it should still have some bite to it. Drain the rice and set aside.

Fry the Onions:

In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat the oil or ghee over medium heat. Add the sliced onions then fry until golden-brown and crisp. Fry the onions until goldenbrown cut the half fried onions and keep it aside for garnishing.

Cook the Chicken:

Add the marinated chicken and the marinade to the remaining onions in the pan. Cook on a medium flame, until the chicken is browned and cooked through and the oil starts to separate from the gravy. This will take approximately 15–20 minutes. Stir in order to avoid sticking.

Layer the Biryani:

When the chicken is done cooking, lower the heat to low. Soak half of the partially cooked rice on the chicken. Add half the chopped cilantro, mint leaves, and fried onions over the rice. Drizzle with half the saffron-infused milk and a sprinkle of garam masala. Layer the remaining rice, herbs, fried onions, saffron milk and garam masala over the top and repeat the layering process. Sprinkle the top layer with the lemon juice.

Dum Cooking (Steaming):

Cover the pot tightly with a lid. If the lid doesn’t fit tight, place a sheet of aluminum foil across the top of the pot before putting the lid on to make sure it seals well. That helps seal the steam inside.

Cover the pot and place it over low heat; cook for 20 to 25 minutes. This low-and-slow cooking method, called “dum,” melds the flavors and finishes cooking the rice.

Serve: