One of the most beloved and iconic Pakistani dishes is Biryani. It’s a fragrant rice dish layered with meat (usually chicken or beef), spices, and herbs. Here’s a recipe for making Chicken Biryani:
Chicken Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
For the Rice:
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- 4 cups water
- 2-3 cloves
- 2-3 green cardamom pods
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- Salt to taste
For the Chicken Marinade:
- 1 kg chicken (cut into pieces)
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
For the Biryani:
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil or ghee
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2-3 green chilies, slit
- 1 tablespoon biryani masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
- 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fried onions (optional, for garnish)
- Saffron strands soaked in 1/4 cup warm milk (optional)
- Lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Rice:
- Rinse the Basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in water for about 30 minutes.
- In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and salt.
- Add the soaked rice to the boiling water and cook until the rice is about 70% cooked (it should still have a slight bite to it). Drain the rice and set aside.
2. Marinate the Chicken:
- In a large bowl, combine yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and mix well. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for better flavor.
3. Cook the Chicken:
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil or ghee over medium heat.
- Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add the sliced onions and cook until they turn golden brown.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and green chilies, and cook until the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
- Add the marinated chicken and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and the oil starts to separate from the gravy.
- Stir in the biryani masala and mix well. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
4. Layer the Biryani:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) if you plan to finish cooking the biryani in the oven.
- In the same pot with the cooked chicken, spread half of the partially cooked rice over the chicken.
- Sprinkle half of the chopped cilantro and mint leaves over the rice.
- Add the remaining rice on top and sprinkle the rest of the cilantro and mint leaves.
- If using, drizzle the saffron-infused milk over the top of the rice. You can also add a few drops of lemon juice for extra flavor.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid or seal it with aluminum foil to prevent steam from escaping.
5. Cook the Biryani:
- If finishing on the stovetop, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20-25 minutes.
- If using the oven, place the pot in the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
- Let the biryani rest for 10 minutes before serving.
6. Serve:
- Gently fluff the biryani with a fork to mix the layers.
- Garnish with fried onions if desired.
- Serve hot with raita (yogurt sauce), salad, and lemon wedges.
Enjoy your delicious Chicken Biryani!
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