Chicken Biryani | Step by Step

So the year is ending to a close, but there's still time for a few more delicious holiday baking days. the perfect thing for celebrating the first morning of the new year, An easy home style delicious biryani. Serve freshly cooked in the family.

Ingredients

For Rice
4 cup (700 grams) basmati rice , soaked in water for 10 minutes
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 whole bay leaf
6 black pepper
3-4 cloves
Water , to boil rice
4 teaspoon salt or as required
Marinate Chicken
1 (750 gram) chicken , cut in 12 pieces
1 cup yogurt , divided
Spices
2 tablespoon green chilli paste
3 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1 tablespoon red chilli powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds ,roasted
¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 inch cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1½ teaspoon all spice powder
5 cloves
2 black cardamom
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
For gravy
Oil to fry
5 (400 grams) potatoes , cut in large chunks
oil to fry
4 (500 grams) onion , thinly sliced (or 1 cup fried onions packed)
4-5 to (500 grams) tomatoes , raw pureed
¾ cup yogurt , whipped
4 prunes*
1-2 teaspoon chat masala (add only if you like spicy food)
1 fistful coriander leaves , chopped
1 fistful mint leaves , chopped
5 medium green chillies
Assembling (Dum)
4 tablespoon oil divided
a pinch Saffron soaked (or kewra essence)
A pinch yellow or orange color
½ cup water for dum

Instructions

Marinate chicken with spices and 4 tablespoon yogurt and let it sit for 20 minutes.

For Rice

In a large pot for biryani take water, bay leaf, cumin, black pepper and salt. Bring water to boil then add soaked rice. Mix well so spices release flavors. Cook rice until 70% cooked then drain all water and keep rice in strainer until required. (Mix little oil in rice to avoid sticking.)

For gravy:

In a wok, fry potatoes with a pinch of salt until golden brown, transfer potatoes to paper towel and set aside.

In same oil, fry sliced onions until crispy golden. Drain oil on a paper towel and spread on a single layer to crisp. Crush onion with hand or in a food processor and mix in marinated chicken.
In same wok, leave only ½ cup oil and (remove extra oil ) cook marinated chicken for 7 minutes until color changes then add tomato puree and cook further for 10-15 until all tomato water dries and oil separates. Your chicken should be tender by now or cook further as needed. Sear chicken ( bhunofy) well for rich taste.

Now add whipped yogurt,and bring gravy to a boil. Now, mix in chat masala (if using) potato, prunes, mint, coriander and green chilles, mix well. Chicken gravy is ready.

Assembling

In the large thick bottom rice pot smear 2 tablespoon oil in bottom.

Make first layer of ⅓ rice in the bottom then add a layer of half of chicken gravy.
Now make second layer of ⅓ rice and another layer of chicken gravy dividing chicken and potato evenly in each layer.
Finally, add third layer of ⅓ rice. Add another 2 tablespoon of oil on top of rice.
Mix orange color, saffron and water together. Spread evenly over the rice. ( You may also add kewra water along with saffron)

Cover pot with foil to seal the steam. Cover with lid too. Keep the pot for dum for 15-20 minutes until rice are fully cooked and steam rises to the top when lid is removed.

Mix rice with a large flat spoon or a small plate. (Do not over mix to break grains.) And serve hot with raita and kachumber.

Recipe Notes

Rice are most important thing in biryani. Boil rice should be aromatic with spices. Make sure your are under-cooked when you boil because we'll cook again for 20 minutes.

Searing ( bhunofying) is most important step in making gravy.The yogurt you add later with restore water content of gravy but if your gravy is too dry add little extra water.