Chicken Biryani

• Chicken - One & half kgs
• Basmati Rice - One & half kgs
• Oil - 600 gms
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 300 gms
• Chilli Powder - 50 gms
• Green Chillies - 15 pieces (medium sized)
• Tomato - 500 gms  (Ripe NattuThakkali)
• Mint - 1 small bunch
• Coriander - 2 small bunches
• Cloves - 8 pieces
• Cinnamon - 1 medium sized stick
• Cardamon - 5 pieces
• Onion - 250 gms
• Lemon - 2 nos.
• Curd - 1 ltr.
• Salt - as per taste

Cut onion lengthwise. Divide into halves.
Cut tomato into 4 pieces.
Extract lemon juice and keep aside.
Strip pudina leaves. Wash, cut and keep aside.
Strip coriander leaves. Wash, cut and keep aside. Optional to include tender coriander stems.
Wash chicken, drain water completely and keep aside.

1.    Place the bigger vessel on the stove. Allow the bottom of the vessel to be heated well.
2.    Add oil. Put cloves, cinnamon stick, and cardamon pieces. Wait for few seconds  and as it splits add half the quantity of onions. Add full quantity of ginger, garlic paste.
3.    Simmer and allow the onions, ginger and garlic paste to cook. This should take less than 10 minutes.
4.    Add  chicken.   Sprinkle   2 teaspoons   of salt  and  mix  well.  Add  the  remaining onions pieces. 
5.    Close the vessel with an aluminum lid. Continue to cook in low flame. Using a ladle, stir the contents of the vessel. Allow it to cook for 15 minutes.
6.    Remove the lid. Add chili powder, green chilies, tomatoes, coriander, pudina,  lemon juice and curd.
7.    Stir well, close the lid and allow the contents to cook well. Continue to cook on low flame. 
8.    Occasionally stir the contents slowly. After about 20 minutes you may notice the  oil separate.
9.    Wash the basmati rice and let it remain soaked in water for not more than 10  minutes
10. At this juncture place the other vessel on the stove. Add water, 4 times the quantity of rice.
11. Allow the water to boil, add salt to taste. Remember you have added salt for the  chicken gravy. 
12. As the water starts to boil, transfer soaked rice. Close with a perfect lid. Cook on  low flame.
13. When the rice is half cooked, without delaying quickly drain out water. Do not  throw the drained water. 
14. Immediately,  transfer half cooked rice (sprinkle kesar powder over rice if required) to the chicken gravy. Slowly mix the contents. Ensure rice doesn’t get  smashed. 
15. Put a dosa tava on the stove and place the vessel. Take a neat newspaper and  place it on top of the vessel and then keep the lid. On top of the lid, place the  drained water. The vessel is now airtight.
16. Simmer for about 5 – 10 minutes. Wait for few minutes and open lid. The aroma  of biryani would confirm that the cooking is completed. 
17. Serve hot with onion raitha or brinjal tamarind gravy. 

Note: Preferably, use aluminium vessels for cooking authentic chicken biryani.  Two aluminium vessels, one for cooking basmati rice (2 Kgs) and another for cooking the  gravy (3 kgs) is required. The ingredients are the same for one to one and half kgs of  chicken and equal quantity of basmati rice. This quantity serves 7-8 people. For mutton  biryani, use mutton and follow the same method .

Chicken Biryani 

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