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Biryani is a mixed rice dish that originated among Indian Muslims. It’s made using Indian spices, rice, and generally some kind of meat (chicken, beef, goat, lamb, shrimp, fish), as well as eggs and potatoes on occasion.
It is one of the most popular meals in South Asia and among the region’s diaspora. In other parts of the world, such as Southern Africa, Iraq, Thailand, and Malaysia, similar meals are produced.
This not-too-spicy rice dish bursts with delicious Indian flavors and a go to when you need to binge on a cool(not hot as in spicy) food. It is India’s traditional celebratory dish, a fragrant delicacy that dazzles as a superb one-dish dinner.
This dish is almost certain to have originated in Iran. Even the name biriyani comes from the Persian “birinj biriyan,” which means “fried rice.”
Biryani Chicken
Both in Pakistan and India and across African countries like south Africa, there are a variety of biryani recipes and the chicken biryani is one of them.
Chicken biryani is a dish that contains both carbohydrates and protein. So all you’ll need to serve it with is a vegetable salad or a simple vegetable side dish like Aloo Palak.
This particular variety requires certain ingredients. Chicken, potatoes, onion, spices, tomatoes, yoghurt, rice, and cooking oil are the basic ingredients.
How To Make Biryani
The preparation of this rice dish can be done in a variety of ways. The uncooked meat is sometimes cooked with the rice, which is known as the “kacchi” method. In some cases, the meat is prepared separately.
With properly cooked, fluffy grains of perfumed basmati rice and delicate morsels of seasoned lamb, chicken or any cut of meat, biryani is a celebration of aroma, color, and flavor.
Traditionally, it is served as part of a festive or celebratory meal, such as Eid, weddings, or family get-togethers. However, nowadays, individuals prepare biryani rice anytime they want. Check out the following recipe on how to prep yours.
Chicken Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
- 800 gr/ 28.22 oz boneless chicken cut in small pieces.
- 350 gr/ 12.3 oz new potatoes cut in big cubes.
- 250 gr/ 8.82 oz onions chopped.
- 1- inch ginger finely grated/ minced.
- 4 cloves of garlic minced.
- 2 tsp ground cumin.
- 2 tsp ground coriander.
- 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper.
- ½ tsp turmeric powder.
- 1 ½ tsp salt.
- 7 green cardamom.
- 10 cloves.
- 15 whole black peppercorns.
- 2 bay leaves.
- 1- inch cinnamon stick.
- 1 cup/ 240 ml/ 8.11 cooking oil.
- 300 gr/ 10.14 oz tomatoes chopped.
- ½ cup/ 120 ml/ 4.06 fl.oz yoghurt lightly beaten.
- 500 gr/ 17.64 oz basmati rice washed and soaked in water.
- A handful of fresh coriander optional.
Instructions
- Wash and rinse the rice for about 3-4 times until the water looks clear. And soak the rice in clear water. Set aside.
- In a large cooking pot, heat the oil and fry the onions until lightly brown.
- Add in the ginger and garlic, give it a stir and fry for a few minutes until it smells fragrant.
- Then put all the spices in. The cumin, coriander, chilli powder, paprika, black pepper, turmeric, salt, cardamoms, cloves, whole black peppercorns, cinnamon and bay leaves. Continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes until the spices give aroma.
- Put the chicken in and stir until all the pieces are covered with spices. Let it fry until the poultry turns opaque in colour.
- Then add the tomatoes in the chicken mixture and give it a good stir. Put the lid on and let it cook at low heat. Leave it to cook for about 20 minutes. Keep checking and stirring every now and again to make sure the chicken doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- In the meantime, boil the water in the other pot. When it reaches boiling point, add in the rice and let it cook for about 7 minutes or until the rice is half cooked.
- Add the potatoes in, stir well and continue cooking with the lid on for another 10 minutes then put the yoghurt in. Let it cook for about 5 minutes more.
- When the oil slightly separates from the sauce, and you have about 1-1 ½ cup of gravy left, turn the heat off.
- Using a colander, drain the half-cooked rice and pour it over the chicken biryani sauce. Spread it evenly to cover all the chicken masala (chicken curry sauce). Put the lid on. Then cook the biryani rice at low-medium heat until the steam comes out.
Notes
- Chicken releases more water when it’s cooked. So you may have to cook the biryani sauce at medium-high heat to make sure the liquid evaporates quickly. But do take care and keep checking so that it won’t get too dry either.
- Line the pot lid with a tea towel before you put it on the pot for steaming. It helps absorb the steam water so that it won’t drip or fall on to the rice.
