Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics
Source:- Google.com.pk
Today’s recipe is definitely a special one.  It is one of my favourite Indian dishes.  Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani, like all the food of the area, is greatly influenced by the Mughals, Arabic, Turkish and Iranian food that use plenty of rice, wheat and spices.  I particularly like the mix of spices and herbs in this recipe: the aroma of the mint that you can smell throughout the house while the biryani is cooking is inebriating.  My husband says it is one of the best biryani he has ever eaten, and that is a fantastic compliment being that he has actually eaten plenty throughout his life! hehehehe  When you read the long list of ingredients, this dish looks like a lot of work, but you’ll be amazed by how quickly it actually comes together, so much so that I often make it as a mid-week’s dinner.  You basically need to mix all the marinade ingredients together, put the chicken in it and refrigerate it.  Then cook the rice for a few minutes and layer both the chicken, rice and herbs in a heavy bottomed pot… let it cook for 30 minutes and you will have a dinner set for a king… or better still, a maharaja!  Serve it warm with some raita on the side for a complete and delicious
The Ingredients required for a chicken biryani are

7-8 Onions (very thinly sliced and deep fried until light brown)
10-15 Cashews (fried in a little desi ghee/clarified butter)
1 Kg Chicken on the bone cut into 12 pieces
1 cup yogurt
2 Tsp Garlic paste
salt to taste
500 gm Basmati Rice (washed and soaked in salted water for at least half an hour)
3-4 Tbsp oil
Oil for frying the onions
6-7 cloves
2 (1 inch) Cinnamon
4 green Cardamoms
3 Bay leaves
1/4 Tsp Caraway seeds (shahi jeera/black cumin seeds)
4 large Tomatoes (chopped finely)
1/4 Tsp of mace powder
1/4 Tsp of grated Nutmeg
1 Tsp Coriander powder
1 Tsp red Chili powder (to taste)
1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
2-3 green Chilies (to taste, chopped)
1 Tbsp Ginger (chopped)
1 Tbsp Garlic (chopped)
6-7 dried, pitted prunes
1/2 cup of milk
a few strands of Saffron (kesar)
3-4 Tbsp Desi ghee (clarified butter)
2 cups of fresh green Coriander (chopped)
STEP 1

Marination

Marinate the chicken pieces in 1 cup yogurt, 2 Tsp garlic paste and little salt, for a good 8 hours.

STEP 2

Making Barista (fried onions) for chicken biryani

Slice the onions very thinly (almost paper thin) using a sharp knife. Heat oil in a pan or kadai.
Separate the sliced onions using your finger tips. Put the onions in the oil and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Keep stirring the onions, so that they get evenly browned. The trick is to evenly and slowly brown the onions. If the flame is very high the onions will burn on the outside and remain watery on the inside.

Once a uniform color is obtained, drain on thick layer of kitchen paper, so that maximum oil is soaked. Keep these aside. 
As they cool down, the onions will become crispy.

STEP 3

Boiling the rice

Boil the rice. For this take a BIG vessel (deep and wide), put lots of water in it, tip in the soaked rice along with 1 stick cinnamon, 3-4 cloves, 2 green cardamom, 1/4 tsp of Shahi jeera (caraway seeds) and more salt.

Remember that you should boil the rice in lots of water and salt (pretty much like a pasta). The rice should absorb the salt otherwise the biryani will be tasteless. Boil on a high flame and let the it boil vigorously on high flame for about 5-7 minutes.

You have to par cook the rice (meaning 3/4 cooked and rest will get cooked later). Do not over boil the rice. To check if the rice is done you can take a grain of rice out and press in between your thumb and forefinger. If the grain breaks into 3 parts, it means your rice is cooked just right. Now strain the rice and spread it out on a flat tray or surface, so that it cools faster.

STEP 4

Preparing the chicken

Heat oil in a deep pan, add the remaining bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and green cardamoms. When they crackle, add the ginger, garlic and chilies. Saute for a minute and add the marinated chicken, along with the marinade. Cook on a medium heat till all the water dries up (water from the chicken and yogurt).

Add the tomatoes, 1/3 of the fried onions, all the powdered spices, salt and cook till all the water from the tomatoes dries up. If the chicken is cooking too quickly then either cook on a high flame to fasten the evaporation or remove the chicken pieces aside.

The chicken should be just cooked and dry (because it will get 
cooked further in the final step and if any water is left in it the rice will become soggy).

Once done, sneak a taste, adjust the seasoning. Mix in the dried prunes.

STEP 5

Make saffron milk

In 1/2 cup of warm milk crush a pinch of saffron strands and put some whole strands. Wait till it turns yellow. Keep on one side.

Final STEP Assembling the chicken biryani

Use a deep heavy bottom pan with a lid.

First spread some desi ghee at the bottom of the pan.
Second a layer of rice, followed by a layer of chicken. Now sprinkle a generous handful of chopped coriander and fried onions.

Repeat the layers with rice being the top most layer. Sprinkle the leftover onions and all the cashews.

Pour the milk and saffron on the top using a spoon, evenly covering the whole area.

Once all layers are set, take melted desi ghee and with a spoon pour it around the rim of the vessel and a little on the rice.

Close the lid and seal.

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics

Best Biryani Recipe

Biryani Recipe in Urdu Chicken Paksitani Images Pics