Chicken Biryani (Kacchi Biryani Style)

Biryani is a rice-based dish mostly with aromatic basmati rice cooked with meat or vegetables and spices. Biryani was originated in Persia and was brought to South Asia by travellers and merchants to the Mughal empire. It is the most popular dish in Mughal's kitchen. As you can see I've mentioned "Kacchi Biryani Style" which means Cooking rice with "raw meat". It's fully packed with flavours . Today, you may not belong to Mughals but you can definitely enjoy Mughal's staple food "Biryani".  So let's start making Chicken Biryani!!

To make Biryani I have divided the recipe into 3 parts for easy understanding.
 The first part is about the marination of the Chicken.
The second part is about cooking basmati rice.
The third part is about layering the rice simultaneously infusing it with extra flavours.

So, for the first part you will be needing the following ingredients :

Chicken	1 Kilo
Mint  leaves puree	1/3 rd  cup
Coriander leaves puree	1/3 rd cup
Green  chilli  paste	2 Tablespoons
Medium-sized onions	2
Turmeric  Powder	½ Teaspoon
Biryani  masala powder	½ Tablespoon
Curd	10 Tablespoons
Ginger-garlic  paste	4 Tablespoons
Salt	1 ½ Tablespoon (or) to taste
Lemon Juice	1 ½ Tablespoon
Red chilli powder	2 Tablespoons

After Setting up all the ingredients, start adding them to the cleaned-washed and gently pat dried chicken and marinate the flavoured- spiced chicken for 1 hour. (You can mix all the ingredients first, check the taste and add your choice of spices according to your taste and then add it to the chicken)

***Add only half part of the fried onions to the chicken marinade.

*** Here in the Picture I used only 3 Tablespoons of curd. Later I added 7 Tablespoons which resulted in good consistency of the marinade.

 Second Part: Cooking The Rice 

For this You will need the following ingredients :

Basmati  Rice	1 Kilo
Shah Jeera	1 Teaspoon
Cloves	6
Cinnamon  sticks	4
Cardamom	3
Salt	As required
Oil	3 Tablespoons

Here I have used basmati rice ( India gate)

Soak the basmati rice in the water for about 15- 20 mins

Next, take a big cook pot and add oil to it.

To the hot oil add all the spices including the salt. Let the spices splutter for a few seconds and add the soaked rice(with the water) to cook the rice partially.

Add rice and cook until its 70% done

Strain the rice using a colander and the second part is done!! 

***Water should be salty so that when rice gets half cooked it gets good flavour from spices and gains taste value from salt.

***Water quantity is not measured in this case because we are straining the rice in the end. So basically you need to add more quantity of water than the rice.

Third Part: Layering of Rice on Spiced- Flavoured Chicken

For this you will need the following ingredients : 

Mint Leaves	1 cup ( Approx)
Yellow Food Colour (opt)	½ Teaspoon
Biryani Masala	As Required
Lemon Juice	As  required
Oil	More than ½ Cup
Fried  Onions	Half batch
Aluminum Foil	As required

In this stage, all the required ingredients or equipment are according to your own choice. you can adjust by adding the ingredients more or less. (For example, I have taken more lemon juice than that in the picture) 

Here I have mentioned fried onions.( Use the leftover half batch which we saved after marinating our chicken)

Also, I have mentioned oil ( use the oil which you have used to fry the onions)

To start the third part:

Firstly mix 2 to 3 Tablespoons of water to the yellow food colouring (opt)

Now layer the half-cooked rice on the marinated chicken.

Next add mint leaves, fried onions, sprinkle biryani masala, spoon the lemon juice and again layer it with the rice. Continue this process until the rice is finished.

To the last -final layer of rice add mint, onions, lemon juice, biryani masala, oil and food colouring(opt).

Cover it with aluminum foil and lid and cook the biryani on high flame for 15 minutes. By this time you should be getting steam from the sides of the lid. 

Now take a tawa and place it beneath the cook pot, lower the flame and cook it for another 15 minutes. 

And You are done!!! :) :)

Vegetable Biryani

                                  

Vegetable Biryani is cooked using various spices and the cooking style may differ from place to place.

Here I have cooked veggies and rice in each individual separate pot and finally piled up the rice and veggies together and pressurized (Dum) for 15 to 20 minutes.

To Make This Recipe You will need :

  

Basmati  Rice	1 Kg
Vegetables	Each 1 cup
Whole  garam  masala’s	Cloves,Cinammon,Cardamom  etc
Badshah  biryani  masala	5 Teaspoons
Salt	To taste
Red chilly powder	2- 3 Teaspoons (or) To taste
Ginger – Garlic paste	2  Teaspoons
Turmeric powder	½ Teaspoon
Coriander Powder	2 Teaspoons
Green Chillies	4 ( Long Slits)
Yogurt ( Curd)	½ Cup
Nutmeg (Jaiphal) Powder	2 to 3 Pinches
Oil	1 Cup
Cilantro & Mint leaves	½ bunch each
Food Colour ( Kesar/Yellow)	Pinch (diluted in 15ml of water approx)
Ghee (Optional)	2 to 3 Teaspoons
Saffron strands (Optional)	3 to 4 strands (soaked in milk)
Cashewnut/ raisins (Optional)	2 Teaspoons each
Lime Juice	3 to 4 Teaspoons

Method :

Wash and soak the basmati rice for about 20 to 30 minutes

On the other hand boil water in a pot with salt, a few drops of oil(water should be salty) and whole garam masalas except nutmeg (jaiphal).

When water comes to a boil add soaked rice.

Prepare vegetables

  To a hot kadai add 5 tablespoons of oil followed by sliced onions, slit green chilies, ginger garlic paste. Let it cook until it turns out brown in color.

Next add  beans.Cook it till 50% done. 

Next, add carrot and cook until 50% done. Keep an eye on your basmati rice. 

Cook the rice until 80% done

Next capsicum, peas (I boiled peas beforehand)

Cook these vegetables until they are partially roasted.

Remember not to overcook the vegetables. They should not be mashy.

Next, add yogurt. Mix well.

To this mixture add salt (you can add while frying onions for faster caramelization), red chilly powder, coriander powder, biryani masala,  nutmeg powder, turmeric powder, and finally cilantro and mint leaves.

Now drain your 80% cooked rice and spread it in  handi

Top the rice with a vegetable mixture

Again top the vegetable mixture on rice and Sprinkle some biryani masala  and lime juice

Now top the rice with a vegetable mixture and repeat the process until your are done with your veggie mixture and rice.

Finally add cilantro leaves, mint leaves, and oil/ghee, ( If using oil, use preheated oil- 1/2 cup), food color/ ghee.

Pressurize it for  15 minutes. If needed place a tawa underneath the handi for extra minutes of cooking.

Serve with Raita

If you like my recipe of Vegetable Biryani, then do let me know in your comments below. If you happen to make Vegetable Biryani in another method then please let me know in your comments.