Chicken Biryani
Directions
- 1Add cinnamon stick and bay leaf to a pan.
- 2Add coriander seeds, cloves, black peppercorns, and fennel seeds to the pan.
- 3Add black and green cardamom and star anise to the pan.
- 4Lightly toast the spices on medium-low heat for a couple of minutes.
- 5Once fragrant, transfer the toasted spices into a spice grinder.
- 6Blend the spices into a fine powder.
- 7Slice the red onion very equally and thinly.
- 8Place the sliced onions in a cold pan.
- 9Submerge the onions in neutral oil.
- 10Turn on the heat and let the onions cook until crispy.
- 11Peel ginger using a spoon.
- 12Add peeled garlic cloves to the ginger.
- 13Mash ginger and garlic into a paste consistency using a mortar and pestle.
- 14Place skin-on drumsticks into a large bowl.
- 15Add full-fat yogurt to the chicken.
- 16Add the garlic and ginger paste to the chicken.
- 17Add a spoonful of biryani masala to the chicken.
- 18Add a spoonful of Kashmiri red chili powder to the chicken.
- 19Add turmeric and green chilies to the chicken.
- 20Squeeze some lemon juice over the chicken.
- 21Salt the chicken very well.
- 22Mix and marinate the chicken until well coated.
- 23Wash the basmati rice thoroughly with cold water until the water runs clear.
- 24Soak the rice for 15-30 minutes.
- 25Add star anise, clove, green and black cardamom to boiling water.
- 26Add a cinnamon stick and bay leaf to the water.
- 27Salt the water generously.
- 28Add some biryani masala to the water.
- 29Add the washed basmati rice to the boiling water.
- 30Allow the rice to boil for just a couple of minutes, aiming for a 60% cook.
- 31Drain the par-boiled rice and spread it out on a rack to cool down.
- 32Add a nice heap of ghee to a new pot.
- 33Gently lay the marinated chicken into the pot.
- 34Add a hefty amount of cilantro and mint over the chicken.
- 35Add a very nice handful of crispy onions.
- 36Add half of the basmati rice over the ingredients.
- 37On top of the first layer of rice, add more cilantro, mint, and crispy onions.
- 38Sprinkle nice dollops of ghee.
- 39Season with a little bit more biryani masala.
- 40Add a quick pinch of salt.
- 41Add the final layer of rice.
- 42Add a final layer of mint and cilantro.
- 43Add more crispy onions.
- 44Sprinkle or drizzle a little bit more ghee.
- 45Add one more light pinch of salt and biryani masala.
- 46Finish with some steeped saffron water.
- 47Seal the pot nicely and tightly with a first layer of aluminum foil.
- 48Cover the pot with a lid.
- 49Cook slowly for about 30 minutes.
- 50After about 30 minutes, kill the heat and let it sit for about 15 more minutes.
- 51Remove the lid and aluminum foil.
- 52Fluff the biryani with a spoon or serving utensil.
Ingredients
- cinnamon stick
- bay leaf
- coriander seed
- cloves
- black peppercorns
- fennel seed
- black cardamom
- green cardamom
- star anise
- 1 red onion
- neutral oil
- ginger
- garlic
- skin-on drumsticks
- full-fat yogurt
- 1 spoonful biryani masala
- 1 spoonful Kashmiri red chili powder
- turmeric
- green chili
- lemon juice
- salt
- 1 pound Indian White Basmati Rice
- ghee
- cilantro
- mint
- saffron water
Equipment
panspice grindercutting boardknifespoonpotcolanderbaking sheetaluminum foillid
Tips
- To peel ginger, use a spoon.
- When frying onions for crispiness, start with a cold pan and submerge them in neutral oil, then turn on the heat.
- When parboiling rice, aim for a 60% cook and then lay it out on a rack to cool down.
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