Indian Biryani

Name: Indian Biryani
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: For the chicken:; 1 kg bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks), skinned; 1⅓ cups (320 g) plain yogurt; 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 2 to 3 green chilies, slit; 2 tsp red chili powder; ½ tsp turmeric; 2 tsp biryani masala or garam masala; ½ tsp ground cardamom; 2 tsp salt for the marinade; For the fried onions:; 3 large onions, thinly sliced; ½ cup (120 ml) oil for frying; For the rice:; 3 cups (about 540 g) aged basmati rice; 14 cups water (about 3.3 litres) for boiling; 2 tbsp salt for the boiling water, plus 1 tsp oil; 2 bay leaves, 7 cm cinnamon stick, 8 cloves, 8 green cardamom pods, 1 star anise, a blade of mace (optional); For layering:; 8 tbsp chopped fresh mint and 8 tbsp chopped fresh coriander; ½ tsp saffron threads soaked in 6 tbsp warm milk; 3 tbsp ghee; To serve:; raita (yogurt with cucumber) and onion salad

Recipe No.: W-36

InternationalIndian110 minServes 6

Historians do not agree on where biryani began. Its name is Persian, and some believe it evolved from the pilaf carried to the Indian subcontinent by traders and soldiers. The Hyderabadi version, cooked "on dum" in the steam of a pot sealed with dough, is linked to the kitchens of the Nizams of Hyderabad, and it is said that the first Nizam's cook invented it on a hunting trip, but that is a legend with no firm proof.

Origin of the dish: India (with Persian roots) — Historians dispute whether biryani began in Persia or India

Ingredients for Indian Biryani

For the chicken
1 kgbone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks), skinned
1⅓ cups(320 g) plain yogurt
2 tbspginger-garlic paste
2 tbsplemon juice
2 to 3green chilies, slit
2 tspred chili powder
½ tspturmeric
2 tspbiryani masala or garam masala
½ tspground cardamom
2 tspsalt for the marinade
For the fried onions
3large onions, thinly sliced
½ cup(120 ml) oil for frying
For the rice
3 cups(about 540 g) aged basmati rice
14 cupswater (about 3.3 litres) for boiling
2 tbspsalt for the boiling water, plus 1 tsp oil
2bay leaves, 7 cm cinnamon stick, 8 cloves, 8 green cardamom pods, 1 star anise, a blade of mace (optional)
For layering
8 tbspchopped fresh mint and 8 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
½ tspsaffron threads soaked in 6 tbsp warm milk
3 tbspghee
To serve
raita (yogurt with cucumber) and onion salad

Method

For the fried onions: heat the oil in a deep pot over medium heat and fry the sliced onions, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and crisp, without burning. Lift out with a slotted spoon and keep the oil.
In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, green chilies, red chili, turmeric, biryani masala, cardamom and salt. Add one third of the fried onions, crumbled, and 2 tbsp of the frying oil. Add the chicken, coat well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
Wash the rice until the water runs clear, soak it for 30 minutes and drain.
Boil the water with the salt, oil and whole spices for 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook until about three-quarters done, with the centre of each grain still slightly firm, which takes 5 to 7 minutes. Drain immediately.
Spread the marinated chicken in an even layer in the bottom of a wide heavy pot and scatter over it half of the mint and coriander and half of the remaining fried onions.
Spread the parboiled rice evenly over the chicken, then top with the remaining mint, coriander and fried onions, and pour over the saffron milk and ghee.
Seal the pot with foil, then a heavy lid. Cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes until steam begins to escape, then lower the heat to the minimum for 15 minutes (set the pot on a hot griddle to spread the heat).
Turn off the heat and rest it covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and gently fold the rice from the edges with a large spoon so it mixes with the chicken without breaking the grains. Serve hot with raita.

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