If anyone asks me which my all time favorite dish is, then I would go for this option first….Chicken Biriyani!!
It was when i ate toothsome malabar style chicken biriyani from my mom’s friend Indira aunty’s place that i got addicted to it. I was always in a urge to find out how to make this yummylicious dish. This was how she said, but i put through some of my own ideas.
Here it goes….
- Rice 4 cups
- Chicken 1 kg
- Fried Onions of 3
- Roasted nuts and raisins a handful
Biryani Masala
Equal proportions (approx) of cinnamon bark, big elachi, bay leaves, coriander seeds and fennel (1 tsp each) .Grind to powder.
Paste
- Paste of garlic (6 to 8 cloves), ginger (1 stick) and green chilies (8 to 9)
- Paste of coriander leaves (1 bunch) & mint (4 to 5 leaves)
- Paste of poppy seeds (2 to 3 tsp) previously soaked for 5 to 10 min. I sometime use half cup of nicely ground coconut if i do not have poppy seeds in hand [This is what is a version of Indira auntie’s recipe]
METHOD
Rice
- Wash & drain rice
- Heat ghee 2 tsp
- Add whole masalas (peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves etc)
- Add drained rice to it and sauté for a min
- Add double qty of water and salt as required. Cook till done.
Chicken gravy
· Marinate chicken pieces with ¾ tsp chilly powder, 1 cup curd, salt and ¼ tsp turmeric powder.
· In a kadai, heat oil & add all the paste made previously. Sauté for 3 to 5 min.
· Add the marinated chicken pieces to it.
· Add 2 ½ tsp of Biryani masala and mix it.
· Add 1 cup of water and cook till done.
In an ovenproof tray make layers of chicken gravy and rice. Garnish with fried onions and roasted nuts. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at min temperature. The baking process can also be done on gas keeping the layers in a heavy bottom vessel on a simmer flame for 15 to 20 minutes.
Note: For Vegetarians, can use diced paneer, soya chunks, mushrooms, potatoes and carrots instead of chicken (3 cup all these vegies together)
I am like you too Dhanya,biryani for me anytime and anyday!
Really its an all time favorite of most of them i guess!!
I ll keep gazing your blog too….
Hi Dhanya
I love Indian food and would like to try your recipe but, I’m not from India so, some of the information in the recipe are not as apparent to me.
Can you clarify the portion for the whole masalas in the Rice section and what other spices is indicated by “etc”.
Also, in the Biryani Masala section
“Equal proportions (approx) of cinnamon bark, big elachi, bay leaves, coriander seeds and fennel (1 tsp each) .Grind to powder.”
Does the 1 tsp and grind to powder apply to all the spices or only the coriander seeds and fennel? Is ‘big elachi’ black cardamom?
Thanks much! Hope to hear from you soon – thinking of inviting my Indian friends this weekend and suprise them =)
this post reminds me of the awesome biryani i had once in sagar..calicut..
i first had a taste of kozhikode biryani at a small malloo restaurant in singapore and the flavour has never left me. when i came across this recipe here i thought ‘d give it a try….turned out awesome!! thank you. the best biryani i’ve ever made at home