Chicken Biryani

Biryani is everybody’s favourite.Its a heavy food but with out biryani no occasions are there isn’t it…………..To feel comfort after having a biryani have a black tea with mint leaf………Mint leaf is good for digestion also……. When I makes biryani each time, I think of my first biryani.It was before 7 yrs I made my first biryani.It was yellow in color.Because when I made the masala for that it was light brown in color.So I thought biryani’s are yellow in color and with this gravy biryani doesn’t become yellow………..
So I added 1 tsp full of turmeric powder to the masala.When the biryani finished after dum if was full yellow in color but the taste was just ok…………..

I was sad, how it became like this.This happened because I added more turmeric powder.Next day my hubby’s cousins and friends came to visit us that biryani was finished up by them.And bachelors just need something made at home………….
How small quantity of biryani is made there will be enough left for next day.But they told the biryani was ok in taste just the color was more.
Then I thought I have to make best biryanis.Now I’m happy that my biryani tastes good…………….

Even my hubby before marriage he ate from hotels.So before marriage he just said me one thing,study cooking…………..I told I’ll try to cook, don’t worry.He told me just a chammanthi made at home and rice is enough……………I just want to have homemade food………………….
But now something small goes wrong in my preparation he used to point out………….

Here comes the biryani.

Ingredients:

For Masala:

1kg Chicken
8 Medium sized onions
2tbsp Garlic paste
2tbsp Ginger paste
5 Green chillies
3 Medium sized tomatoes
1tsp Garam masala
3tsp Yoghurt
½tsp Turmeric powder
Oil
Salt

To Marinate:

1½tsp Red chilly powder
½ tsp Turmeric powder
Salt

For Rice:

1kg Rice
3 Pieces of cinnamon stick
7 Pods of cardamom
7 Cloves
Water to boil
1tbsp Lemon juice

For Dum:
Fried onions
Fried cashewnut and raisins
Chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves
1tsp Pineapple essence
1tsp Yellow food color
Ghee

Method:

1.Clean the chicken and put some cut here and there on the chicken pieces and marinate the chicken.
2.Keep this for marination atleast 1 hr or overnight.
3.Soak the rice for 30mins.
4.In a big vessel take water in large amount in which the rice has to be cooked.
5.Keep the water for boiling.In this put cinnamon sticks,cardamom,cloves and salt.Drain the rice after 30mins.When the water boils add the rice to it.Add lime juice to this to avoid sticking of rice.
6.The rice should not be over cooked.When it just becomes soft drain the rice.Keep aside.We can make ghee rice also, to lessen the oil and ghee part I always do this method.
7.Now fry the chicken till half done.
8.In a nonstick vessel add oil put the sliced onions and sauté till it becomes brown.
9.After the onions are done add the gingergarlicand greenchilli paste.Saute this well.
10.Add ½ tsp turmeric powder and 1tsp garammasala powder.
11.Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well till the tomatoes become soft.
12.Add yoghurt and mix well.
13.Now add the fried chicken and mix well and cook the chicken till fully done.
14.The masala should not have much gravy.The below picture is of the prepared masala.

15.Add some chopped coriander and mint leaves to this curry.
16.Fry 2 onions for garnishing and dum.Fry the cashewnuts and raisins.now time for dum.
17.In a vessel add some ghee and spread at the bottom.Now add half of the boiled rice.On top of this add some coriander and mint leaves sprinkle some garam masala,half essence and color and some ghee.
18.Now put the masala over this rice.
19.Now add the rest of rice on top of this and spread evenly.
20.On top of this sprinkle some more garammasala powder,fried cashews and raisins,the essence and color,put the chopped leaves and fried onions and apply some ghee here and there.
21.Cover the top of the vessel tightly with aluminium foil and close with the lid tightly as no air escapes.
22.Now on the flame into sim and keep in dum for 20 to 30 mins.
23.When opened,we can feel the steam over the top the correct part of dum.
24.For garnishing we can use boiled egg too.

25. Serve hot with papad,pickles or yoghurt salad.