Chicken biryani

Hi,
Here is chicken biryani the way I make with some simple tips that I know of. There are many different ways of making biryani. The one I m going to type now is very easy simple and quicker compared to other recipes.  Coz I make biryani every now and then as its my family's  favorite,I make it this way to save time and energy. You can make this if in hurry or if toddler is troubling or if u feel simply lazy.

I served my biryani with dahi rata and fruits salad in mango custard. Awesome combo!!!

Ingredients :

Chicken  : 2 lbs

(You can use whole chicken cut in medium pieces or leg and thigh or boneless  breastfeeding pieces. )

Basmati Rice : 1 lb 

Washed and soaked in water for 20 minutes

Onion :  thin slices in semicircle shape 3 medium  

Ginger garlic paste : 2 tablespoon 

Yogurt : 2 cup

 Cooking Oil : 1/2 cup (I used canola oil)

Ghee pure Desi ghee : 3 tablespoon 

Cloves: 4-5

Bay leaves : 2

Cardamom : 4

Cinnamon stick: 1 inch 

Black pepper corns : 4-5

Shahzeera : 1 teaspoon  (or plain cumin seeds )

Red chilli powder  : 1 teaspoon 

Salt : 1 teaspoon 

Coriander powder : 1 teaspoon 

Turmeric powder : 1 / 4 teaspoon 

Garam Masala powder : 1/2 teaspoon 

Fresh mint leaves : 2 tablespoon fine chopped 

Green chillies  : fine chopped 2 tablespoon 

(I used very course chopped as 3 year old is eating and he can separate them easily )

Parsely  : 2 tablespoon fine chopped 

Lemon juice : 2 tablespoon 

Saffron strands : 10 strands soaked in water for 1 hr. 

METHOD 

1. Fry onion till golden brown . Remove from oil (on tissue if u want) And set aside . This should be crispy. 

Tip : add pinch salt  in oil to make them crispy   and make sure they are fried like deep fry.  This process is called brista or barishta.  

2.  Take chicken pieces in big  mixing bowl.  Wash chicken.  Add ginger garlic paste,red chilli powder, salt , turmeric powder, coriander powder,  half of all these- chopped  mint,parsely,fried onions and green chillies ,lemon juice and   yogurt . Mix well and cover and marinate for minimum 2 hours .I usually marinate overnight in fridge. 

3. Heat oil in a pan on medium flame and add chicken pieces from marinade only. Fry for 15 minutes stirring and mixing. Later add the masala (gravy) of marinade and mix again. Cover and cook till chicken is 80% done. 

4.  Add to soaked rice (in same water)cloves,cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper corns, shahzeera ,salt and one tablespoon oil and one teaspoon lemon juice and boil till rice is 40%-50%  done. Drain the rice throughly till all water is out in strainer. 

In above pic I have added cinnamon powder as I ran out of cinnamon stick. 

5. In a broad and thick  bottom pan add Desi ghee at base and spread two to three cooking spoons of rice evenly. Spread 2-3 cooking spoons  chicken gravy evenly over. Next sprinkle some barista over it evenly , and chopped green chiili, parsely and mint leaves evenly.  Pour 1 teaspoon of Saffron water and 1/2 teaspoon ghee evenly around vessel. .

Repeat layering of rice,chicken gravy,barista , chopped  greens , Saffron water and ghee till all done. 

TIP: Alternatiely u can use a baking tray and do this layering in baking tray. And bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. 

6. After layering in done. Whether u use pan or baking tray, cover with aluminum foil to not let vapor escape. And cook on low flame for 30-45 minutes.  

Serve hot with dahi raita. 

Find recipe here : 

Best  Kitchen Recipes http://recipesens.blogspot.com/Enjoy!!

The below two pictures are the time when  I baked in oven.