Chicken Biryani - Mum's Easy Chicken Biryani

This is my mum’s signature dish which she poured a generous amount of love into while making it, so, needless to say, it always came out the best!  However, she only made it on special occasions or on Sundays as a special treat for the family or friends who stopped by.

Unlike the usual biryani dishes, the cooking process is very simple and easy; any novice could come out with mouthwatering results on his/her first attempt.

Mint chutney and chicken gravy are the best accompaniments for this dish and mint, being a medicinal food digester can work wonders. Recipes for these are given below;

So let’s make this real winner of hearts for today’s lunch!

Ingredients required for 4 very hungry people;

Ingredients     Amounts

Chicken            350g

Basmati Rice   2cups

Plain yoghurt    1/2cup

Knor chicken     1cube

Garam masala    2tbsp

or

Roasted curry p. 2tbsp

Ginger/garlic      1tbsp

Onion                 2

Green chillies    1

Cloves                4

Peppercorns        4

Cardamoms        2

Turmeric p.        1tsp                

How to make:

Marinate

• Massage  the chicken pieces thoroughly with yoghurt,  roasted curry powder, turmeric,  grated ginger and  garlic,  salt, turmeric powder, pepper powder, slit green chilli and the crushed soup cube
• Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs.

Prepare the rice

• Wash the rice until water runs clear, drain, then keep aside for 20 mins. This will allow the rice to stretch during cooking.

Fry

• Heat up 2 tbsp of olive oil in a wide-brim pan.  Add the whole spices; cloves, peppercorns, cardamoms, and cinnamons and let them crackle
• Add grated ginger and garlic or  the paste of it
• Add the onion slices and slightly brown them.  Drop a handful of curry leaves

Add rice

• Now add the rice and quickly stir through, not letting it stick to the bottom of the pan.  Fry the rice for about 2 mins or until well coated.

Add chicken

• Now add the chicken with all its marinade
• Mix rice and chicken thoroughly while turning them constantly for 2 – 3 mins.

Add warm water

• Add warm water, just above the level of the rice.
• Give a good stir
• Adjust the taste at this point
• Cover the pan with a tea towel and then tightly close the lid
• Cook under very low fire
• Open after 10 mins and bring the bottom layer to the top and mix gently
• Cook until the meat is tender and the rice is cooked properly
• Switch the flame off and let the pot rest for 15 mins for flavours to adjust
• Serve with mint chutney and chicken gravy

Make The Mint Chutney To Go With It

• Take a handful of mint leaves and drop them into the jar of the hand blender
• Chop a few shallots and drop them into the jar
• Thinly chop one or two small green chillies and add them to the jar
• Thinly cut the root of a ginger piece and add a few pinches of salt
• Now, crush everything into a pulp using the hand blender
• Squeeze half a lemon into the pulp and mix it with the fingers until everything comes together
• Taste and add more salt or lemon, if needed.
• Done!

Chicken Gravy Recipe

• Marinate the chicken pieces with ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder, pepper powder, slit green chilli, salt, turmeric, roasted curry powder and 2 tbsp of plain yoghurt
• Heat oil in a wide pan
• Add a few crushed garlic cloves, curry leaves and chopped onions and fry
• Drop 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder and a few drops of turmeric into the oil and fry
• Now drop all the chicken and fry for a few minutes until well coated
• Cover, lower the flame and let the chicken cook for 5 mins
• Add warm water an inch above the chicken, cover and cook
• Add 1tbsp of coconut milk powder or thick coconut milk for flavour
• Done!