Wednesday 6 February 2013

Malabar Chicken Biriyani

The complete credit of me becoming a good chicken biriyani maker goes to my MIL. I too love Chicken Biriyani. So I was very eager to understand the tips and tricks that goes in. I have made this some 50 times over the years and now I have various recipes for making Chicken Biriyani. Now I can make chicken biriyani in the morning and pack this for lunch. H boasts about this in his office.

The recipe that I am presenting here is the authentic malabar chicken biriyani recipe with no short cuts and so takes about 1.5 to 2 hours for the dish to be ready. Now over to the recipe.



Ingredients:
To marinate chicken:
Chicken - 15 pieces weighing around 600 grams
Ginger garlic paste - 25 grams
Green chillies (crushed) - 10 nos
turmeric powder - 5 grams
freshly ground masala powder - 5 grams (please see recipe below)
yogurt - 10 grams
salt - to taste

Home made masala powder:
Fennel seeds - 10 grams
cloves - 20
Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
Cardamom - 4
Star anise - 1
whole pepper - 10 grams
mace - 2 nos
salt - to taste

For the rice:
Jeeraga samba rice or Basmati rice - 350 grams
Ghee - 25 grams
cloves - 2 nos
cardamom - 2 nos
cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
fennel seeds - 2 grams
whole pepper - 2 grams
grenn chilly - 4 nos
star anise - 1
mace - 2
bay leaves - 2

For chicken masala:
Onions - 200 grams
Tomatoes - 50 grams
Ginger/garlic paste - 5 grams
coriander powder - 25 grams
masala powder - 5 grams
chilly powder - 5 grams
curry leaves - few
mint leaves - few
coriander leaves - few
Oil - 50 grams
freshly ground masala powder - 5 grams
Cashewnuts - 15 grams
Raisins - 15 grams
Salt - to taste



Method:

  • Dry roast the ingredients under "Home made masala powder" and powder them in the mixer. Store this in an airtight container. This can be used for other meat curries also.
  • Marinate the chicken with the ingredients under "To marinate chicken" and keep it aside atleast for 2 hours. Marinating overnight would give best results.



  • Lets prepare the rice first. Wash the rice and soak the same for about 30 minutes.
  • In a pressure cooker pour ghee and add all the spices mentioned under "For the rice". Saute for about a minute. 
  • Add the soaked rice and fry for about 5 minutes until nice aroma comes out.
  • Add water. I used the ratio of rice:water as 1:1.75. Add salt and mix well.
  • Wait for about 6-7 minutes. Until the 75% of the water has been absorbed by the rice. 
  • Now close the pressure cooker lid and cook exactly for one whistle. 
  • Once the pressure releases, open the cooker and spread the rice in a wide mouthed vessel.



  • Finely chop the onions and tomatoes. 
  • In a pan, pour oil. Add the chopped onions. Fry until the onions turn brown. 
  • Add the ginger/garlic paste and the tomatoes. Fry until the tomatoes turn mushy.
  • Add the coriander powder, chilly powder, masala powder, curry leaves, mint leaves and mix well.
  • Now add the marinated chicken, mix everything well and cover and cook until the chicken is finely cooked. We need not add water since the chicken will have enough water.
  • It will take at least 30-45 mts for the chicken to be properly cooked. When the chicken is done, check for salt and masala. Switch off the flame.


Final Layering:

  • Fry the cashewnuts, raisins an little onions until brown in ghee.
  • Take an oven safe, wide mouthed bowl.
  • Grease the base with little ghee. 
  • Add a layer of rice and top it with the prepared chicken masala. Pour the gravy over the chicken pieces. Add the fried onions, cashewnuts, raisins and coriander leaves. 
  • Now add another even layer of rice above this and top again with the chicken masala and the fried onions, nuts, raisins and coriander leaves. 
  • Repeat the process keeping in mind that the top layer should be of rice garnished with onions, nuts, raisins and coriander leaves. 
  • Now seal the bowl with an aluminum foil and them cover with the lid. Bake it at 180 C for around 10-12 minutes.


Delicious and spicy Malabar chicken Biriyani is ready!!! Serve this with boiled eggs and raitha of your choice.









6 comments:

  1. Looks yum...Happy to follow you :)

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  2. looks yummy hapy to follow you

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. Thanks for sharing your knowledge on preparing this malabar chicken biryani recipe.You presented it clearly an d easily to follow. The picture are also attention-seeker that makes the recipe be a mouthwatering one. Please continue to share your thoughts , :) Godb less

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