Chicken Biryani

Books after books can be written about this divine flavorful meal and this is one meal that has been tried, tested and tasted in different versions through India and off course around the world. I for sure have tried a few amongst them like the Sindhi Biryani, Hyderabadi Biryani, Calicut Biryani, Dum pukht or without Dum ( not literally in Hindi) Idiyappam Biryani from Sri Lanka, Kashmiri Yakhni Biryani but the list is endless and I would definitely like to try the Turkish Pilaf, Iranian Biryani, Quaboli, Malaysian Biryani and Indonesian Biryani. I'm sure all of these have a flavor of their own and are worth a try. So, if anyone wants to parcel some I can definitely share my address and I promise not to be judgmental!! Wink wink!!

Biryani is thought to have originated in Persia ( a point that can be argued) and might have taken couple of different routes to arrive in India but one thing is for sure, whatever the origin and whichever route it took we welcomed it with open arms!!

There are so many different stories of its origin- it could have come from Persia via Afghanistan to North India, it could have also been brought by the Arab traders via Arabian sea to Calicut or during Mogul empire as Awadhi Biryani or through the British deposed Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Calcutta, giving rise to Calcutta Biryani. The one story which is my favourite and which I probably want to believe is Mumtaz Mahal (the beauty who sleeps in Taj Mahal) concocted this dish as a "complete meal" to feed the army. Yes, complete meal it is!! Lots have been written about biryani and the difference between a biryani and pilaf but in my mind there are two major demarcations and the names have done justice to this demarcation - Kutchi (raw) Biryani, and Pukki (cooked) Biryani. Kutchi Biryani does not meet the strict meaning of Biran in Farsi meaning 'Fried before Cooking' while Pukki Biryani comes close. For Kutchi Biryani, raw marinated meat is layered with raw rice. For Pukki Biryani, cooked meat and cooked rice are layered and put in Handi for the finish.

Here are some tips before I list down the ingredients and methods

1. Marinate the meat overnight in curd, papaya paste ( papaya only if you are using lamb) and the spices of your choice. You cannot do without cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom so have that handy

2. Always soak the rice in water for a minimum of 30 mins before cooking. Add milk instead of water if any moisture is required to cook the rice once you layer it. Avoid adding cold water

3. Fry thinly sliced onions in ghee till golden brown and set aside. It just takes the flavour to the next level if you use crushed golden brown onion while layering the rice and meat and also as a garnish later. My cousin always dries the onion in sun before frying. This takes less time and less ghee

4. You have the option of frying the rice before boiling or even layering. It gives the rice a nutty flavour and gelatinised outside starch layer. This will also help if you don't like your rice to be sticky and want to have each grain separated and coated with the flavours

5. Never ever ever throw away the broth while cooking the meat in the pukka biryani style. Ensure either you have just enough water added in the beginning or let the extra broth just evaporate before layering. You want all the flavour from the meat to remain in your Biryani

Ingredients

• 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 largeTomatoes (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)

Method

1. Marinate the chicken pieces in 1 cup yogurt, 2 Tsp garlic paste and little salt overnight

2. Slice the onions very thinly (almost paper thin) using a sharp knife. Heat oil in a pan or kadai. Your barista is ready.

3. Boil the rice in a big vessel (deep and wide) with 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. The rice should be par cooked (meaning 3/4 cooked and rest will get cooked later)

4. 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 ( no additional water needed). 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. 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

5. 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.

6. Use a 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/mint and fried onions. Repeat the layers with rice being the top most layer. Sprinkle the leftover onions and all the cashews.

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

8. 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. Keep this pot on a very low heat for 45 minutes. Place this pan on top of a cast iron tawa (on which chapatis are made) or another heavy bottom pan in order to prevent the bottom layer of rice from getting burnt.

After 45 minutes turn off the heat. Let it stand for 5 minutes and open