Chicken dum Biryani

Main Ingredients  for Chicken Biryani:

2 cups long grained basmati rice 500 gm boneless chicken thighs or 750 gm chicken on bone 4 cups water Salt to taste Marination Ingredients : 1 cup hung curd (internet says Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute) 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 4 green chillies crushed

2 tsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp garam masala powder 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves finely chopped 1 tbsp mint leaves thinly chopped Salt to taste

Whole Garam Masala Ingredients:

• 1 bay leaf
• 2 whole Kashmiri red chillies
• 2 green cardamoms)
• 2 cloves
• 1-1/2 inch cinnamon stick (cut into bits)
• 1 mace
• 2 star anise
• 3/4 tsp whole cumin seeds (jeera)

Other Ingredients :

• 1 big onion (cut into slices)
• 1 small onion coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp fennel or saunf powder
• 1 tsp yellow chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• Few saffron strands
• 4 tbsp milk
• 1-1/2 tbsp rose water
• Few ginger julienne
• 2 tbsp pure ghee
• Some brown onions to garnish

Cook the Rice :

•  Wash the rice thoroughly in normal tap water and soak for about 30 minutes.
• Soak the saffron in milk or luke warm water and set aside.
• Heat 2 cups of water in a big pan.
• Add salt and rose water.
• When the water starts boiling then add rice into it.
• Cook the rice over medium high heat for about 10-12 minutes and then simmer the flame.
• When the rice are 3/4th done, then take out half of the cooked rice from the pan and remaining rice are to be set aside.

Cook the Chicken :

 In a medium size bowl, mix all the marinate ingredients.

• Cut the chicken into small  pieces and marinate it with the above mentioned ingredients mixture.
• Coat the chicken pieces well into the mixture, cover and set aside for about 30-40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a big non-stick pan and melt the ghee in it.
• Add whole garam masala and saute for few seconds over moderate heat.
• When the spices turns into little brown then add chopped onions.
• Cook the onion on a low flame and make sure that they should not change their color.
• Stir constantly if the heat is getting too high.
• Put little bit of water to get a nice and glossy color of onions.
• When onions are well cooked, add marinated chicken along with its whole mixture.
• Now add fennel and turmeric powder.
• Mix it well and adjust with the salt.
• At this moment, add 1-1/2 cups of water and leave to cook for 6-8 minutes on semi flame.
• Once the chicken seems to be done, then you can mix cardamom powder along with fresh cream or yogurt.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool down.
• When the chicken cools down, take the chicken pieces out and strain the whole gravy over the pieces of chicken.
• Garnish with some chopped coriander and set aside.
• Spread a single layer of the prepared chicken over the rice left in the pan and spread some saffron mixture.
• Garnish the biryani with  brown colored fried onion slices.
• Now make the layer of remaining rice and chicken one after the other, sprinkle the saffron mixture, chopped coriander and ginger julienne.
• Now we have to cook this biryani on very low flame, i.e., on dum means without exploring out the steam.
• Cover the pot either with an aluminum foil or with a wheat dough and place a lid on it.
• Immediately reduce the flame.
• Make sure the steam should not come out.
• Let it cook on low flame on dum (low heat) for about 6-7 minutes.
• Serve this delicious chicken dum biryani piping hot with few round onion slices, lemon wedges and raita of your choice.

Chicken dum biryani tastes better with chicken on bone but I prefer cooking my biryani with boneless chicken, so that no bone get stuck in my mouth.

The important aspect of making a proper Chicken Dum Biryani is to cook it on dum with a proper cover or lid. Although there are many methods to cook it on dum.

Source: http://homerecipes.in/chicken-dum-biryani-recipe/115