Kozhikodan Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients

For Homemade Biriyani Masala:-

Cinnamon stick- 2 to 3nos

Cardamom- 2 nos

Cloves- 3 nos

Caraway seeds/jeerakam- 1/4 teaspoon

Cumin seeds-1/4teaspoon

Fennel seeds- 1/4teaspoon

Star anise- 2 nos

Mace- 1 to 2 nos

Nutmeg piece- 1/2 For chicken marination and chicken masala:-

Chicken- 1 kg

Curd- 1 /2 cups

Biriyani masala- 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons

Pepper powder- 1/2 to ¾ teaspoon

Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon

Lemon juice- 1 tablespoon

Indian white poppy seed- ¾ teaspoon

Garlic -8 (crushed) cloves

Ginger- 2 (crushed) medium size pieces

Green chilly- 10 to 15 (crushed)

Tomato- 2

Mint leaves- 1/4 cup

Coriander leaves- 1/4 cup

Ghee/oil -3 tablespoon

Onion- 6 (thinly sliced)

For biriyani Rice:-

Basmati rice- 750g

Lemon juice- 2 teaspoons

Ghee- 3 teaspoons

Cardomom- 2 nos

Cloves- 1 to 2 nos

Small cinnamon stick- 1

Bay leaves- 1 no

Rose water- few drops

Coconut oil- 2 teaspoons

For garnishing:-

Cashewnuts fried-15g

Raisins fried-15g

Coriander leaves- A handful

Mint leaves- A handful

Ghee- 2 to 3 teaspoons

Method for:

Preparing Homemade Biriyani Masala: Roast the ingredients and make fine powder. Keep it in an air tight container.

Chicken Marination:- Soak poppy seeds in water and make fine paste. Cut the chicken into medium pieces, clean and drain water completely. Marinate chicken pieces with 1/2 cup of curd,1 teaspoon lemon juice,1/2 teaspoon biriyani masala,1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder,1/2 teaspoon pepper powder,1/4 of the crushed garlic,ginger, green chilly,poppy seed paste and salt. Keep it aside for 30 minutes. Making masala:- Clean and thinly slice onion. slice tomatoes and chop coriander and mint leaves. Heat oil/ghee in a large deep bottom pan. Add 1/4 of the thinly sliced onions and fry it till golden. Remove and drain over a paper towel. Fry cashewnuts and raisins in the same oil. This is for garnishing biriyani. Keep it aside. Into the same oil, add one pinch of whole black pepper, one star anise, one or two cloves and a small piece of cinnamon.6.add thinly sliced onion sauté until it is transparent. Add the remaining crushed garlic, ginger, and green chilly, and sauté well till the raw taste leaves. Add chopped tomato and sauté for few minutes. Add 3/4 teaspoon biriyani masala and remaining turmeric powder mix well. Add the marinated chicken, stir well, and cook for few minutes. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves. Check salt consistency. Cover with a lid and cook (chicken should be 1/2 -3/4 cooked and dry). Once the chicken is cooked 1/2 or 3/4 switch off the stove. If there is excess gravy in the chicken, remove it and keep aside.

Preparation of rice: Clean the rice and drain water completely. Boil water (1.1/2 cup water for 1 cup rice ),add salt, rose water, cinnamon, and cardamom. Heat ghee in a deep bottom vessel. Add rice and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add boiled water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and one teaspoon oil. Stir well and cover with a lid. Check salt consistency. Cook till the rice is soft and completely absorbed water. Switch of fire and keep aside. For dum or layering:- Mix fried onion, cashew, raisin, coriander leaves, and mint leaves together for garnishing. Take the vessel containing cooked chicken. Spread some ghee and sprinkle some biriyani masala in it. Spread one layer of cooked rice on top of the chicken masala. Sprinkle the garnishing item and one teaspoon excess gravy (you can also use saffron milk instead of gravy). Again do the layering till the rice finishes (2-3 layers). Add left over ghee around the rim of the vessel and little on rice. Cover the vessel with a heavy lid and tightly seal the lid with maida (all purpose flour) dough. If you are cooking in stove place a nonstick or cast iron pan on the stove in a lower flame and place biriyani vessel on top of it. Put a wet cloth on the top of the vessel. Cook in low flame for 15-20 minutes. Turn off heat. Let it stand for few more minutes remove coal or cloth and open the lid. Open the vessel, transfer rice in to another vessel, and mix well. At the bottom you can see some rice mixed with chicken, keep it in chicken itself or you can mix it with chicken. While serving, place chicken masala in the center and cover it with rice. Serve hot with onion salad, lemon pickle, raitha, or pappadam.

Happy Cooking!

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