Nawabi Biryani

Description

• Ethnicity - Marathi, West Indian
• Type of meal - Party, Lunch, Dinner

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken, skinned, cut into serving pieces
• 1½ cups long grained rice, soaked in water for ½ hour, washed
• 2 cups yoghurt
• 1 cup clarified butter (ghee)
• 1 cup milk
• 10 peppercorns
• 8 cloves
• 8 sprigs mint, leaves only
• 5 cardamoms
• 4 onions, sliced
• 1 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• ½ cup almonds, blanched, halved
• 3 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp mixed cumin seeds and shahjeera
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp saffron
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Mix ginger-garlic paste, salt and yoghurt.
2. Apply to chicken pieces and leave for 1 hour to marinate.
3. Heat ½ cup ghee and add cumin seeds and shahjeera, cloves, cardamoms, peppercorn and almonds.
4. Add chicken, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala powder, and ½ cup water.
5. Cook till chicken is tender.
6. Add coriander and mint leaves.
7. Reserve.
8. Heat ¼ cup ghee in a pressure cooker and add rice.
9. Fry till golden brown.
10. Add 3 cups water and pressure cook till the rice is done but not soft.
11. Heat remaining ¼ cup ghee and fry onion slices till brown and crisp.
12. Drain and reserve.
13. In a large pan, put a layer of rice.
14. Top with a few fried onion slices and saffron strands.
15. Add a layer of chicken.
16. Repeat till all rice and chicken pieces are over.
17. Cover tightly and finish cooking in an oven or by placing the pan on a hot griddle till each grain of rice is fluffy and the biryani is aromatic.
18. Serve hot.