Chicken Biryani( kerala style)

Recipe for  Chicken Biryani - Kerala Style

Ingredients :

For Rice :
Basmati rice : 2 cups
Water : 4 cups
Cloves : 4 nos
Cardamom pods : 4 nos
Cinnamon stick : 1 inch pieces
Bay leaves  : 1 no
Lemon Juice : 2 tsp (freshly squeezed)
Salt to taste

For Marinating Chicken:
Chicken : 2 kg
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder : 2 tsp
Yogurt  : 1/2 cup
Biryani masala  : 1tsp
Salt to taste

For Chicken Masala :
Onion  : 4 medium (thinly sliced)
Tomato : 2 medium (chopped)
Green Chillies : 15-20 nos (chopped)
Ginger : 1 inch Piece
Garlic :  8-10 cloves
Biryani masala : 1 tsp
Red chilli powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder : 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Mint leaves : 1/4 cup (chopped)
Corainder leaves : 1/2 cup (chopped)
Oil /Ghee  :  2 tbsp

For Garnishing :
Cashew nuts
Raisins
Ghee : 3-5 tbsp
Onion : 1/2 cup (thinly sliced)
Coriander leaves : Handful
Saffron : 1-2 strand
Warm milk : 2 tsp
Pineapple essence( optional)
How to make Chicken Biryani - Kerala Style:


Cooking the Chicken Masala:
1. Cut the chicken into medium sized pieces.Clean and drain the water well.
2. Grind ginger,garlic,green chillies to coarse paste and set it aside.
3. Marinate the chicken with all above mentioned  ingredients "For Marinating Chicken" for 1 hrs at room temperature and shallow fry it.
4. Heat oil/ghee in a pan, add thinly sliced onion saute until it is translucent,add the ginger,garlic,green chillie paste,saute until brown color,add chopped tomatoes and saute for few seconds.
5. Add the briyani masala,turmeric powder,red chilli powder,coriander powder,combine well and saute untill the raw smell goes.
6. Add the chopped corainder & mint leaves and mix well.
7. Add the shallowed fried chicken and cover & cook on medium flame for about 10 to 15 mins add water if needed and adjust salt.

Cooking the Rice:
1. Soak the rice for 30 mins and drain the water completely.
2. Boil the required water,with half of the whole masala ( cardamom, cloves & cinnamon ) and add little ghee & salt.
3. Heat ghee in a pan & splutter whole masala.Add the cleaned & drained rice, when the rice starts cracking add it to boiled water and cook uncovered the rice .
4. Check it and drain the excess water immediately. Spread the rice on a tray and sprinkle the lemon juice.Let it cool for sometime.

Preparing for Garnish :
1. Heat ghee and fry the thinly sliced onion till golden colour and crispy for 15 miutes sprinkle little sugar to caramelize,remove and drain on to the paper towel.
2. Now fry cashews and then raisins until they turn golden colour,drain and remove on to the paper towel and keep it aside.( Note : Save the leftover ghee for layering the biryani)
3. Mix saffron strand in warm milk and keep it aside.

For layering the biryani :

Layer the chicken masala and rice; sprinkle  pineapple essence/ biriyani essence, fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves, sprinkle left over ghee and few drops of saffron milk the rice as the final layering. Repeat this process.
 Then close it tight fitting lid and place the biryani vessel on top of the iron skillet or tawa and cook on for 15 mins and turn off the flame.
Let it rest unopened on tawa for another 15 minutes.

Serve hot with Raita, Pickle/ mint chutney  and Pappadam on the side and Enjoy!