Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani Recipe

Steps To Prepare

• STEP 1.Arrange for a huge vessel and a large fireplace.
• STEP 2.The chicken should be marinated overnight for best taste.

Cooking Directions

• STEP 1.Soak a few strands of saffron in ½ cup hot milk for 10 minutes to prepare saffron milk.
• STEP 2. In a small grinder jar, add 2 bay leaf, 6 cardamom (elaichi), 2 cinnamon (dalchini), 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi), 2 star anise, 8 cloves (lavang), ¼ pice nutmeg, 1 tsp peppercorn, ½ tsp fennel (saunf) seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds and grind to a powder.
• STEP 3.In a large mixing bowl, add 750 gms chicken cut into pieces. To this, add 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 2 tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander (dhaniya) powder, the ground biryani masala powder, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 cup mint and coriander leaves chopped, 4 to 6 green chillies and 2 onions sliced and fried crisp.
• STEP 4.Mix all the ingredients together well to evenly coat the chicken.
• STEP 5.Add 2 tbsp ghee, 1 cup curd and 3 tbsp oil. Mix well with the marinated chicken.
• STEP 6.Pour a few tbsp of oil over the chicken. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the chicken to marinate for 4 hours or overnight.
• STEP 7.In a vessel, place 3 cups of basmati rice. Wash and soak for 30 minutes.
• STEP 8.In a wide deep vessel, spread the marinated chicken at the bottom to make a single layer.
• STEP 9.To prepare the rice, boil water in a large vessel and add 2 bay leaf,1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom, 3 cloves, 1 star anise, salt, 1 tsp shahi jeera and 3 tbsp oil.
• STEP 10.Add the soaked and drained basmati rice and bring to a boil.
• STEP 11.When it is 70 % cooked (breaks into pieces), strain it and layer it over the chicken.
• STEP 12.Sprinkle crispy, fried slices of two onions and 1/2 cup saffron milk.
• STEP 13.Then spread another thin layer of rice. Pour 1/4 cup boiling rice water.
• STEP 14.Then again pour saffron milk and repeat the process.
• STEP 15.Add some coriander leaves and ghee on top.
• STEP 16.Seal the vessel with aluminium foil and close the lid.
• STEP 17.Place the biryani on the old tawa. Cook for 10 minutes on high flame and 30 minutes on low flame.
• STEP 18.Turn off the heat and take it off. Open the vessel after letting the biryani rest for 10 minutes.

Storage And Serving Method

• STEP 1.Serve the hot, spicy and aromatic biryani with a creamy onion and cucumber raita.