Chicken Biryani

Andhra Chicken Biryani

Well there are several version's to this Biryani. But let me write what I just cooked for lunch.

Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 5 cups.
Onion - 5 large sized onions
Tomatoes - 4 large
Coriander leaves - half cup
Mint leaves - half cup
Green Chilli - 20
Casuanut paste - 1T.
Coriander powder - 1T
Red Chilli Powder - 1T.
Saffron Powder - 1tsp.
Garam masala powder - 1tsp.
Salt - 1T.
Whole spices - 3 each (cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, sea algae, cinnamon sticks)
Ginger and Garlic paste - 2T.

Preparation

1.Wash the Basmati Rice and saute it in 2T. of oil. To this also add half finely chopped onion, and mashed garlic cloves (4). Saute this for just 5 mins. The Rice is flavoured.

2. Finely chop the Onion and Tomatoes. Round shape.

3. Add a pinch of masala powders to the chicken and marinate it for 1/2 an hour.

4. In a pan add oil, next add the whole spices, curry leaves (5), followed by sliced onions. Saute this till light brown in colour. Next add the finely chopped mint and coriander leaves, saute for 4 mins on medium heat. Next add the ginger and garlic paste and saute again for 3 mins. Now add the tomatoes and saute till a gravy is formed. Add all the masala powder's. The salt. To this add the marinated chicken and just turn over for 2 mins. Till the gravy enters the chicken. Now add water to this chicken and cook in the pressure cooker upto 2 whistles. If u cook more, the chicken will be shredded.

5. Now in a bigger cooker, add the flavoured rice, the casuanut paste, a mixture of soup water from the cooked chicken gravy and ordinary water totally amounting to 11 glasses of water. Now for measurement of water use the same cup from which the rice was measured. Do not use different cups. This will create imbalance. Finally add the cooked chicken with its gravy.

6. Check for salt. Add more if required. Turn over from the sides to evenly spread the gravy, masalas, the rice and meat. Close and pressure cook upto one whistle. Open the cooker after half an hour. And serve. Never press the spoon in the middle of the rice. Turn from the sides, this will keep the grains whole without breaking. (those concerned with 20 green chillies, i was shocked too when the recipe was first given to me, but i found while eating the rice is actually made blande by the casuanut paste. So never skip the casuanut paste. For the food will become too hot to eat). Good Day.