Hyderabad Chicken Biryani

This flavorful biryani is spicy and hot. Rice is cooked over marinated chicken, the stream from the chicken is used to cook the rice.This process enrichers both rice and chicken which results in an amazing flavourful biryani.

Served with Raita(Yogurt Sauce) and Mirchika Salan (Chilli peanut curry)

Recipe

Serves 4. Preparation Time 20 - 30 mins. Cooking time - 45 mins

Ingredients

1. 1 lbs ( 450 gms) of boneless chicken or 1 1/2 lbs (675 gms) of Chicken with bone

2. 1 lbs Onion

3. 1 cup fried Onions

4. 2 Cups of Basmati rice

5. 1 lemon

6. 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

7. 1 Cup thick yogurt

8. 2 tbsp Ghee or Vegetable oil or Butter

9. Powder

   • 1 tbsp Jeera[cumin] powder

   • 1 tbsp Coriander powder

   • 1 tbsp garam masala

   • 1 tsp Turmeric powder

   • ½ tsp black pepper powder

10. Whole Spices for Chicken

• 4 Green cardamom

• ½ inch Cinnamon stick

• 1 bayleaf

• 4 Cloves

• 2 black cardamom

• 1 tsp whole black pepper

• 1 tsp whole Jeera [cumin]

• 1 tsp black cumin (optional)

11.Whole Spices for Rice

• 2 Green Cardamom

• 2 Cloves

• Small cinnamon stick -

12. Leaves [Chopped loosely measured ]

• Mint 1 cup (optional)

• Coriander 2 cup

13. Green chillies 4 nos(Add or reduce according to taste) finely chopped

14. Salt to taste

15. Saffron water (optional)

16. Roasted Cashew (optional)

For cooking we need any salute pan(heavier the better) or Iron skillet 4 to 5 Qt, Large pot for boiling rice and a strainer for rice

Directions

Prep

1. Marinate the Chicken

Wash and cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces then add the following ingredients

• Powders

• Whole spices for chicken

• Yogurt

• Green chillies

• Leaves

• Half lemon juice

• Ghee

• Fried onions

• Ginger garlic paste

• Salt to taste ~ 2 tsp

Mix everything evenly either with your hands or with a spatula. Rest it for 45 mins or upto 12 hours. If you are planning to marinate it for more than 2 hours it will be good to refrigerate it.

Cooking

1. Rinse the rice and then soak it in water for 30 mins

2. Saute thinly sliced onion and mix it to marinated chicken

3. Boil approx 7 cups of water in a large pot with 1 tsp of Ghee, salt ~ 1tsp for the rice and whole spices for rice

4. While water is boiling in the meantime spread the marinated chicken mixture evenly in the saute pan or Iron skillet.

5. Strain the water from the soaked rice and discard the water

6. Once the water in the large pot starts boiling add the soaked rice. Cook the rice only 70%. Which will take 5 mins in medium flame. To test whether rice is ready, while tasting it should have raw rice taste and should break when you squish it with your finger.

7. Strain the rice after 5 mins and spread it evenly on top of the marinated chicken. Sprinkle Saffron water, Roasted cashew, some mint and coriander leaves.

8. Cover the pan with a lid. Add an extra layer of silver foil if the lid is not heavy.

9. Cooking time for room temperature chicken

   1. First 5 mins in medium-high flame

   2. Then 20 mins in low

   3. Last 2 mins in high.

10. Cooking time for refrigerated chicken [Cold chicken will retain water, needs more cooking time]

    1. First 7 mins in medium-high flame

    2. Then 25 mins in low

    3. Last 2 mins in high.

11. Let it rest for 10 mins before opening.

Open the lid and silver foil. Use a spatula from one side on the pan and try lifting the chicken from the bottom just half an inch. If it's dry. Congratulations biryani is cooked to perfection. If you notice water, cook for 3 to 5 mins in medium-high flame. Keep an eye on it. Check every 1 or 2 min till you feel it's dry enough.

Serve

Squeeze ½ lemon and sprinkle over the rice. Now use a spatula and start from a side, go till the bottom scoop it and flip it. Repeat this step a couple of times for gentle mixing. Don't mix it vigorously, rice will get mussed.

Now the very aromatic and flavourful biryani is ready to be enjoyed :)