mom’s chicken biriyani

CHICKEN BIRIYANI

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Chicken biriyani is a very popular Indian rice variety. Chicken biriyani is made with lots of spices which makes it more flavorful.037This is one of my most favorite dishes from my mom’s kitchen. Interestingly, I was not aware of its hold on me before my marriage. It all started after I moved here to U.S when I realized how much I was missing all those wonderful dishes back home and my mom’s biriyani was the one which I craved more.
042She prepares all the ingredients (from ginger-garlic paste to Biriyani powder) fresh right before making biriyani. Maybe that’s the secret of her recipe 😉 The fresh aroma of samba rice, homemade biriyani powder and ginger-garlic paste spreads through the whole house…ummmm..

  • If you are diet conscious, you can reduce the coconut milk ratio to 1 cup (i.e for 1 cup of rice, add 1 cup each of water and coconut milk) or entirely omit it and replace it with 2 cups of water. But coconut milk makes big difference in preparing this biriyani.
  • If you are using store bought coconut milk add just a couple of spoons. As they are very thick, adding more will overwhelm the taste of dish with coconut taste.
  • Do not add extra water as the chicken itself will release water.

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And before proceeding, I’m warning you this food tempts you to make it again and again. 🙂

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Mom’s Chicken Biriyani
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
Chicken biriyani is a very popular Indian rice variety. Chicken biriyani is made with lots of spices which makes it more flavorful.
Ingredients
Biriyani powder/masala:
  • Cloves – 10
  • Star anise – 2
  • Black Pepper – 15 nos
  • Green cardamom – 8
  • Cinnamon sticks – 1", 4 nos
  • Javetri – 1 flower
Other ingredients:
  • Ghee – 2 tbs
  • Coconut oil – 1 tsp
  • Biriyani powder – 1 tbs
  • Bay leaf – 1 (big)
  • Big Onion – 1 (cut into slits)
  • Ginger & Garlic paste – 1 tbs
  • Tomatoes – 1 (chopped)
  • Green chilli – 5 (slits)
  • Cilantro – handful (chopped)
  • Mint leaves – handful (chopped)
  • Coriander powder – 1 tbs
  • Red Chilli powder – 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
  • Salt – as required
  • Chicken – 1 lb or ½ kg (with bone)
  • Samba or Basmati rice – 1 cup
  • Coconut milk – 2 cups
Instructions
  1. Wash the chicken in running water. Marinate it with a tsp each of salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder and a tbs of ginger-garlic paste for 15 minutes.
  2. Wash the rice and keep it aside (if you are using basmati rice, wash and soak it in water for half an hour).
  3. Blend all the ingredients together given under biriyani masala and make a powder (you can store this biriyani powder in a small air tight container and use it for several days).
  4. Exract the coconut milk (if using homemade) and keep it ready.
  5. Heat the pressure cooker with a tsp of coconut oil and a tbs of ghee. Add in biriyani masala and slit onion. Sauté well.
  6. When onions turn slightly brown, add ginger & garlic paste. Stir fry till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic disappears.
  7. Add chopped tomato and sauté until mushy.
  8. Add all the greens (slit green chillies, chopped mint and cilantro) and sauté it for a minute.
  9. Now in a low flame, add in all the masala powders ( chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder ) along with salt.
  10. Add in the chicken pieces and give it a stir.
  11. Add the coconut milk, mix well and bring it to a boil.
  12. Now check salt and add the washed (soaked) rice. Mix it well (make sure not to break the rice grains). Allow it to boil.
  13. When the water or coconut milk starts to boil, close the lid and cook for 3 whistles.
  14. When done open the lid, add a tbs of ghee and give it a stir (again, be careful not to break the grains while stirring) and close the lid.
  15. After ten minutes, serve hot chicken biriyani with onion raitha and any chicken / mutton gravy of your choice.
Notes
1. If you are diet conscious, you can reduce the coconut milk ratio to 1 cup (i.e for 1 cup of rice, add 1 cup each of water and coconut milk) or entirely omit it and replace it with 2 cups of water. But coconut milk makes big difference in preparing this biriyani.
2. If you are using basmati rice, then the ratio will be different i.e for 1 cup of rice 1 ½ cups of water.
3. If you are using store bought coconut milk add just a couple of spoons. As they are very thick, adding more will overwhelm the taste of dish with coconut taste.
4. Do not add extra water as the chicken itself will release water.

Chicken Biriyani