Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Biryanis are usually made at home to celebrate something special in the Indian culture.So when D turned 1, I had to make some biryani. We had not eaten Indian food esp biryani for almost three mos, so on her birthday a couple of months ago, I set out to make some hyderabadi style chicken biryani. Growing up, I got introduced to hyderabadi chicken biryani and have always loved it. K is a huge biryani fan, so he was so excited when I set out to making some to celebrate the first birthday! 🙂

My recipe inspiration comes from www.flavorsofmumbai.com . I probably did not include a couple of ingredients mentioned on that website but it still tasted prettttty good!

There are few steps in putting this biryani together, but once its all done and is in the oven, you can feel proud that you have just put together a very delicious Indian meal!
Ingredients:
Chicken: 8 chicken legs
Rice: 4 cups
Onion: 1 large chopped
Tomatoes: 3 large chopped
Yogurt: 1/4 cup
Cloves: 8
Green Cardamom: 4
Bay Leaf: 3
Cinnamon sticks: 3
Cumin Seeds: 1 tbsp
Ginger Paste: 1 tbsp
Garlic Paste: 1 tbsp
Green Chillies: 2
Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp
Shaan Biryani Masala: 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder: 1/2 tbsp
Red Chili Powder: 1/2 tsp
Mint leaves: 4 strands
Coriander leaves: 4 strands
Ghee (Clarified Butter): 4 tbsp
Couple of strands mixed with warm milk
Salt

Marinade:
Yogurt: 5 tbsp
Ginger Paste: 1 tbsp
Garlic Paste: 1 tbsp
Salt

Garnish:
Freshly chopped coriander leaves

Before you begin the chopping and prep, place the washed chicken legs (without the skin, pls!), add the Marinade ingredients: yogurt, garlic, ginger and salt. Combine well and allow it to marinate.

Next step: In a pot, boil 8 cups of water along with a few of the spices: a bayleaf, one of the cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom, 4 cloves). Bring this to a boil and add the rice. When the rice is half cooked, strain and keep the rice aside.

While the rice is boiling, in a blender make a paste with the mint, coriander leaves and green chillies along with some water. Keep the paste aside.

In a large deep pot, saute the rest of the bay leaves, cloves, cumin seeds, cinnamon and cardamom in some ghee. Give it a couple of minutes, and add the chopped onions. Allow this to brown. Make sure the flame is on low heat.

Next add the ginger and garlic paste, stir to combine and then add the mint-coriander paste. Stir again. Next add the masala powders: garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder. Combine well. Add the tomatoes and some coriander leaves.

If you are wondering how much longer to go … we are almost there!!!!

Preheat your oven to 200C

Add the yogurt, stir and allow it cook for a minute of so and season with salt.Next goes in the marinated chicken along the marinade and cook until the chicken is 50% cooked. Remove the chicken from the heat.

On to the final step! time to arrange the layers. Mix the saffron strands with the milk and set aside.

Add half of the chicken gravy from the pot to the baking dish. Next spread half of the par boiled rice. Sprinkle the saffron milk.

Next pour the rest of the chicken gravy, top it off with the rice again. Pour the saffron milk and a little bit of ghee.

Allow it to cook, until the rice and chicken are cooked through. This is should take about 25-30mins.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves, serve hot with some raita.