Chicken Biryani

One of our favourite family dishes is the Chicken Biryani.  This indian rice dish is normally served during special occasions i.e. at a wedding.  This dish is known for its layers of basmati rice and meat with gravy.  But in this recipe (serves 4-6 persons), I am preparing the chicken and rice separately.  I was taught by an indian chef who used "Shan" Bombay Biryani Masala spices which are readily available in any asian shops.  So, if you want to avoid the tedious preparation involved for such dishes, this recipe is a fool-proof and tastes equally good!

Biryani Rice
Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
4 cups of Basmati rice, to be washed, soaked in water for about 2 hours and drained
boiling water to cook the rice
salt

4 tbsp ghee
1 medium-size onion, to be sliced finely
2 petals of star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp garlic paste or 5 cloves of fresh garlic, to be blended
1 cm fresh ginger, to be sliced and blended
2 tsp of "Shan" Bombay Biryani Masala spices

4 tbsp carnation milk to be mixed with 2 tsp rose water
orange colour

1 big onion, to be cut into fine rings and fried until golden brown
coriander leaves, to be roughly chopped
mint leaves, to be roughly chopped
raisins
cashew nuts

Method:
Bring a big pot of water to boil and then, add some salt.  Add in soaked rice and cook until the rice is half cooked.  Remove from heat and thoroughly drain the water through a fine sieve.

Add ghee to a big pot.  Once hot, stir-fry the sliced onion, star anise, cinnamon stick, garlic & fresh ginger paste and "Shan" spices until fragrant.  Then, add rice and stir thoroughly.  Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Then, spread carnation milk/rose water mixture over top of rice.  Sprinkle drops of orange colour over top of rice.  Do not stir.  Cover and cook over low heat for another 10 minutes.

Once done, sprinkle coriander & mint leaves, raisins and cashew nuts.  Stir well before serving!

Chicken Biryani
Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
750 g chicken, to be cut into pieces
5 medium size onions (about 300 g), to be finely sliced into rings
4 medium-size tomatoes (about 300 g), to be chopped
3 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp garlic paste or blended fresh ginger
200 g plain yoghurt
ghee or oil
1 packet "Shan" Bombay Biryani Masala

Method:
Fry onions in hot ghee or oil until golden.  Add chopped tomatoes and fry until the oil separates.

Add chicken, garlic, ginger, yoghurt and Shan Bombay Biryani Masala.  Stir-fry for about 15 minutes. Add 1 cup of water (a little at a time) and cook over low heat until chicken is tender.

Increase heat and stir-fry until oil separates from the gravy.  Serve with Biryani rice, Acar Timun (cucumber pickle) and Paceri Nenas (pineapple pickle).

Paceri Nenas
Ingredients:
500 g fresh pineapple (or canned), to be cut into 1 cm cubes
1 tsp fresh tamarind, to be mixed with 4 tbsp water

Blended Ingredients:
12 stalks dried chillies, to be cut into pieces and soaked in hot water
2 cloves garlic, to be sliced
1 cm ginger, to be sliced

Stir-fry Ingredients:
1 stalk curry leaves
1/2 tsp biji sawi (mustard seeds)
1 medium-size onion, to be sliced finely
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

2 tbsp oil

Method:
Add blended ingredients and tamarind water (without seeds) to pineaple and mix well.

Heat oil in a pot and add the stir-fry ingredients.  Fry until fragrant.  Then, add the pineapple cubes. Cook further over low heat until the gravy is slightly thickened.

Acar Timun (Cucumber Pickle)
Ingredients:
1 long cucumber, to be quartered, seeded and sliced into 4 cm pieces
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp sugar

Method:
Add vinegar and sugar into a small pot and bring to boil.  Leave it aside to cool.

Add chilli, coriander, turmeric powders and salt to sliced cucumber.  Mix well.  Then, pour vinegar/sugar mixture over cucumbers.  Leave overnight.  Store in a bottle for later use.

Bon Appetit!