Authentic Chicken Biryani
Directions
- 1To make biryani masala, combine cinnamon stick, bay leaf, coriander seed, cloves, black peppercorns, fennel seed, black and green cardamom, and star anise.
- 2Lightly toast the spices on medium-low heat for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
- 3Toss the toasted spices into a spice grinder and blitz into a fine powder.
- 4For crispy onions, slice onions thinly and equally.
- 5Toss onions into a cold pan, submerge them in neutral oil, then turn on the heat and cook until golden brown.
- 6Peel ginger with a spoon.
- 7Combine peeled garlic cloves with ginger and mash them into a paste consistency.
- 8Place skin-on drumsticks in a bowl.
- 9Add full-fat yogurt, the garlic and ginger paste, a healthy spoonful of biryani masala, a nice spoonful of Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, a green chili, and a smooch of lemon juice to the chicken.
- 10Salt the chicken mixture very well.
- 11Mix and marinate the chicken until patience runs out.
- 12Wash Indian white basmati rice thoroughly with cold water until the water runs clear.
- 13Soak the rice for 15 to 30 minutes.
- 14To boiling water, add star anise, clove, cardamom, a cinnamon stick, and some bay leaf.
- 15Generously salt the water and add some biryani masala.
- 16Add the washed basmati rice to the boiling water.
- 17Boil the rice for just a couple of minutes, aiming for a 60% cook.
- 18Lay the parboiled rice out on a rack to cool down.
- 19In a clean pot, start with a nice heap of ghee.
- 20Gently lay in the marinated chicken.
- 21Toss in a hefty amount of cilantro and mint.
- 22Add a very nice handful of crispy onions.
- 23Add half of the basmati rice as the first layer.
- 24On top of the first layer of rice, add more cilantro, more mint, and more crispy onions.
- 25Sprinkle nice dollops of ghee.
- 26Season with a little bit more biryani masala and a quick pinch of salt.
- 27Add the final layer of rice.
- 28Add the final layer of mint, cilantro, and more crispy onions.
- 29Sprinkle or drizzle on a little bit more ghee.
- 30Add one more light pinch of salt and biryani masala.
- 31Finish with some seep saffron water.
- 32Cover the pot with the first layer of aluminum foil, ensuring it's sealed nice and tight.
- 33Cover the pot with a lid.
- 34Cook on low and slow heat for about 30 minutes.
- 35After 30 minutes, kill the heat and let it sit for about 15 more minutes.
- 36Serve and enjoy.
Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- coriander seed
- cloves
- black peppercorns
- fennel seed
- black cardamom
- green cardamom
- star anise
- onions
- neutral oil
- ginger
- peeled garlic cloves
- skin on drumsticks
- full fat yogurt
- garlic and ginger paste
- 1 healthy spoonful biryani masala
- 1 spoonful Kashmiri red chili powder
- turmeric
- 1 green chili
- lemon juice
- salt
- Indian white basmati rice
- ghee
- hefty amount cilantro
- mint
- saffron water
Equipment
spice grinderpanspoonpotrackaluminum foil
Tips
- For crispy onions, toss them in a cold pan, submerge in neutral oil, then turn on the heat.
- Peel ginger with a spoon.
- Marinate chicken until you lose patience.
- Wash basmati rice thoroughly until water runs clear.
- Soak rice for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Boil rice for a couple of minutes until 60% cooked, then lay it out on a rack to cool down.
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