CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE BIRYANI

Preparation Method :

• The Rice:
• Wash basmati rice and soak it for 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices and bay leaf and sauté them on medium heat, until they crackle.
• Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Toast the rice in oil and spices.
• Then add sufficient amount of boiling water and salt and mix well. Bring to boil and partially cook the rice uncovered. The rice must be perfectly separated.
• Strain it well and spread it out gently on a large tray or platter to cool.
• The Vegetable Layer:
• Heat oil in the pan and add cumin seeds and sauté them until they crackle.
• Add onions and sauté them for 2 minutes. Add boiled and cubed potatoes and fry them for few minutes until they slightly turn their colour.
• Add the sliced capsicums and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add sufficient salt and a knob of butter. Mix well and remove from flame. Set aside.
• The Chicken Layer:
• Clean, wash and cut the chicken into medium-sized pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they crackle, add red chilies and fry until they turn crisp.
• Add onions and sauté in medium flame until it becomes translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and mix well with onions. Sauté well until they turn brown in colour.
• Add all the spice powders and mix well and toast them until dry.
• Add little water to deglaze the pan and mix well. Add chicken pieces and sufficient salt and mix thoroughly. Fry them until they turn brown and coated well with the masala.
• Add some water and mix well. Add tomatoes and cook them with chicken.
• Add sugar to balance the acidity of tomatoes and to caramelize chicken. Stir well.
• Finally, add whisked curd and deglaze the pan; mix well to incorporate all the ingredients into a thick, curd and tomato based masala gravy.
• Add sufficient water and stir well. Cover and cook until the chicken is perfectly cooked and becomes tender. When it is cooked, reduce the flame, uncover the pan and allow the thickening of gravy.
• Add lime juice and remove from heat. Set aside.
• To Layer Biryani:
• Take a handi or a pan with a wide base and narrow mouth. Add a spoonful of thick chicken gravy at the bottom and then add a deep layer of the rice.
• Add remaining chicken gravy over the rice layer and add some more rice to form a layer.
• Spread the vegetables on the top of the rice layer and smoothen it. Then add the remaining rice over the top of the vegetable layer.
• Boil milk in a pan and add saffron strands. Allow the saffron strands to infuse in milk. When the milk cools, add butter and swirl it to melt it.
• Pour the saffron infused milk over the top layer of rice, sprinkle coriander leaves and add lime juice on the top.
• Cooking on Dum:
• Place the pan on medium heat and cover it with a tight-fitting lid. Place any heavy object on the pan to create a seal.
• Reduce the flame and cook biryani on dum for about 30 minutes. Once it is cooked, remove the heavy object and uncover the handi.
• Serve this multilayered hot biryani with chilled raita.