Kerala Style Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

1. Chicken, cut into medium size pieces - 250 to 300 gms

2. Onion, sliced - 1 large( about 1 cup)

3. Tomato, chopped - 1 small( 1/2 cup)

4. Oil- as required

5. Water-as required

6. Salt-to taste

For Marination:

1. Kashmiri chili powder- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp

2. Coriander powder- 1tsp

3. Lemon Juice-1/2 tsp

4. Water-as required

5. Salt- to taste

For Masala paste:

1. Green chilies-3 to 4 nos(or more according to taste)

2. Ginger- 1" piece

3. Garlic-3 cloves

4. Coriander leaves, roughly chopped- 2 tbsp

5. Mint leaves, roughly chopped- 1 tbsp

6. Cinnamon-1" piece

7. Cloves- 3 nos

8. Fennel seeds-1/2 tsp

9. Whole black pepper -1/2 tsp

10. Salt- to taste

For rice:

1. Basmati rice- 1.5 cups

2. Cardamom pods- 3 nos

3. Cinnamon stick,1" piece-2 nos

4. Cloves-5 nos

5. Bay leaf- 1 no

6. Water-3 cup( 1/2 cup more ,if required)

7. Ghee-as required

8. Salt- to taste

For Layering/garnishing:

1. Onion, sliced- 1 small

2. Cashew nuts- 12 to 15 nos

3. Raisins-1 or 2 tbsp

4. Garam masala- 2 to 3 pinch

5. Ghee /Oil- as required

6. Coriander and mint leaves, chopped-as required

Method: Combine all the ingredients listed under 'For Marination' in a bowl. Marinate the chicken with this masala. Keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Heat oil/ghee in a pan and fry sliced onion, cashew nuts and raisins (for garnishing) separately until it turns golden brown. Keep aside. Combine all the ingredients listed under 'For masala paste' in a blender and grind to form a smooth paste. Keep aside.

To prepare Chicken Masala: Heat ghee /oil in a pan. Add onion and sauté until it turns golden brown. Add tomato and sauté until it turns mushy. Add the prepared masala paste and sauté until raw smell leaves. Remove the lid, cook until gravy turns thick.

To prepare rice ,heat ghee in a pan, add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaf. Sauté for few seconds or until fragrant. Add washed and drained rice and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add water and salt to taste. Bring this to a boil. Reduce flame to low, cover and cook until it is 90 % done and water is completely absorbed. Allow it to cool completely.

For layering:Coat the bottom and sides of the baking dish with ghee.Add a layer of cooked rice.Sprinkle fried onion, cashew nuts, raisins, chopped coriander /mint leaves, 1 pinch garam masala and few drops of ghee on top. Add another layer of prepared chicken masala. Finally add a layer of rice. Garnish with remaining fried onion, cashew nuts, raisins ,coriander and mint leaves. Cover tightly using aluminum foil. Bake for this for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 Deg C.(For stove top method, layer the biryani in a heavy bottomed pan and cover it tightly using aluminum foil. Heat a tava/pan and place the biryani vessel on top of the tava. Reduce flame to low and cook for about 20 minutes.) Serve with onion salad

Happy Cooking!

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