NALABAGHAM

I ain't good at drawing but I can say with confidence that I can cook quite well and make everyone happy, with a good meal. Cooking is an art and with passion & Love for it we can create so many wonderful dishes....Loving it everytime...

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Chicken Biriyani

An all time favorite of ours and a very regularly made dish. Normally I would make vegetable biriyani but last week when we had friends over for lunch I couldn't resist but make this biriyani. It was spicy and delicious. The spice for biriyani can be changed according to taste. The most famous are the hyderabadi biriyani, dum biriyani and the pakistani biriyani and very famous in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and most of the South Asian coutries. Yummy!!

Requirements:-
Red onion - 1 big sliced thin and cut in two
Green chilies - 5 chopped
Tomatoes - 3 sliced
Cashewnuts - 2 tbsps chopped (optional)
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cardamom - 2 nos
Cloves - 5 nos
Pepper - 10 nos
Bay Leaf - 2 nos
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 1.5 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Cilantro - 1 small bunch

Mint - small bunch
Basmati rice - 3 cups
Water - 6 cups

Method :-


1. Wash and soak the basmati rice for 10 minutes.In a non-stick kadai heat 1 tbsp of ghee and add the bay leaves. Then add the rice by straining water and fry it till the aroma arises. Then cook it in the rice cooker with the 6 cups of water and add a little salt. Once done remove it, spread it on a plate or a deep dish so that they dont form lumps and allow it to cool


2. In a kadai pour the oil and the ghee and when hot add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, pepper and the cashews.

3. When fried well add the chopped green chilies and stir it for a few seconds before adding the sliced onions.

4. Let the onions get cooked completely and turn golden in color.

5. Now add the garam masala and the ginger garlic paste.

6. Once the raw smell of the ginger garlic paste goes. Put in the chicken pieces and mix well.

7. Wait until it is half done and then add the turmeric powder, chili powder and the coriander powder.


8. Mix well and allow it to cook for another 5mins. Now add the tomatoes and salt.

9. Let it cook completely. In the meantime mince the cilantro and the mint together. Don't add water.

10. Add the minced cilantro and the mint to the cooked chicken masala and allow it to simmer well.

11. Mix a few pinch of tandoor color with a little water, only need a few drops. Soak a little saffron with water too. This is completely optional.

12.Preheat the oven the 350 degrees. In an oven safe dish or deep tray rub a little butter or ghee at the bottom.
13.Layer rice then the gravy then rice and so on and always remember that the rice should form the top layer, otherwise the meat will become dry.

14. Now sprinkle the color water on the top and then cover with aluminium foil.

15. Place it in the pre-heated oven for 30 mins.


16. Serve hot with raita or any side dish of choice.
This quantity will serve 5-7 people.

I am sending this entry for Vandana's contest of the month. Her blog is http://cookingupsomethingnice.blogspot.com/okingupsomethingnice.blogspot.com/





This goes to Sri's Event for September.


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

It looks too delicious!

www.zaiqa.net

Anonymous said...

hi,

looks great, i have a doubt, u cook rice first fully in rice cooker and then again cook in oven, is rice will not become messy, as already rice cooked fully and also chicken to will become over cooked, as it is also cooked, please clarify my doubt

jyothi

Unknown said...

fry the rice first that way it wont become sticky and break. Secondly until now the chicken hasn't become overcooked for me. don't worry it will be fine. Just make sure that you don't stir the rice when you cook it. Remember to remove the rice from the cooker immediately after it gets cooked fully onto a plate in which you can spread it to avoid lumps and avoid over cooking. Since it it covered with foil in the oven, it wont become dry.

notyet100 said...

biryani looks yummy,,,nice pics too..

KALVA said...

Oh my hysband loves biriyani..

Sailaja said...

looks delicious. Since I am a vegetarian cannot comment more ;)
Lovely pictures

Unknown said...

thankq very much.. don't worry sailaja, u can do the same with vegetable biriyani too!

Anonymous said...

hey hi...i was jus surfin d net n found ur recipe..i have a small doubt regardin d last step ....do u mean to tell jus preheat the oven to 350 degrees for 30 mins n then switch the oven off n then place the layered rice n chicken dish...or preheat to 350 degree n then place the layered dish for 30mins n then switch off the oven...n should u cover the dish wid a foil while placing it in the oven?? sorry abt so many questions...planning to try ur dish so wanted to clear the last step since the rest is well understood..thank u in advance..
Rose.

Unknown said...

Hi Rose,
sorry for the late reply. on the oven, let it pre-heat. Most oven lights will switch off once they attain the required amount of heat. Place the layered biriyani in the oven and cover it with a foil, and dont forget to pierce a few scattered holes on the foil to let the vapor escape. Put the timer for 30mins and then switch off the oven once the timer says the 30mins is up. Let the biriyani set for a few minutes before you serve it.. hope i replied you in time.