Chicken Biryani - Mum's Signature Chicken Biryani Recipe

 

This is my mum’s signature dish, prepared with a generous amount of love and devotion - and it always turned out absolutely delicious!

 She reserved it for special occasions or lazy Sundays, treating family and friends making this dish something truly memorable.

Unlike most biryani recipes, this one is surprisingly simple to make. The method is so straightforward that even a beginner can achieve mouthwatering results on their very first try.

So, why not bring a little joy to the table today? Let’s cook this heartwarming favourite for lunch!

Ingredients Serves 4 very hungry people;

400 - 500g     Chicken

2 cups Sona Masoori/Samba rice

1/2 Cup  Plain yoghurt

1 cube    Knor chicken cube

3tbsp    Roasted Curry Powder-Sri Lankan style or Garam masala

1/2tsp    Turmeric powder

2 - 3tbsp Ginger garlic paste

1            Green chillli

4 each   Cloves, cardamoms, peppercorns, 

2            Star anise 

              Oil and a little bit of ghee

How to make:

Marinate the chicken

Massage  the chicken pieces thoroughly with;

yoghurt, roasted curry powder, turmeric powder, ginger  garlic paste, salt and the crushed soup cube and salt. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs. You can keep it overnight which is the best.

Prepare the rice

• Wash the rice until the water runs clear.
• Soak in water for 20 - 30 mins. This will allow the rice to stretch and fluff up while cooking
• Then, drain all the water completely and keep the rice aside

Fry

• Heat up 2 tbsp of oil in a thick bottom pan.  Add the whole spices; cloves, peppercorns, cardamoms and star anise. Let them crackle
• Add ginger garlic paste 
• Add the onion slices
• Fry until light brown in colour

Add chicken

• Now add the chicken with all its marinade
• Fry for at least 5mins until the chicken and spices are well coated

Add rice

• Now add the rice and quickly stir through, not letting it stick to the bottom of the pan.  Fry the rice for about 2 - 3 mins until well coated with chicken and spices

Cook the rice

• Add boiling water, a little above the level of the rice
• Give a good stir
• Adjust the taste at this point. Add more salt if needed
• Cover with the lid
• Cook under a very low flame until done.
• Open after 10 mins, bring the bottom layer to the top and mix gently
• Cook until the meat is tender and the rice is cooked properly
• Switch the flame off and let the pot rest for 15 mins for flavours to adjust
• Now drop a tbsp full of ghee in and cover the lid for a few minutes
• Your delicious biryani is ready to devour!
• Serve with mint chutney and chicken gravy

Mint Chutney

• Take a handful of mint leaves and drop them into the blender jar or into the jar of the hand blender
• Chop a few shallots and drop them into the jar
• Thinly chop one or two small green chillies and add them too
• Thinly cut a root of a ginger piece and add a few pinches of salt along with ginger
• Add a handful of freshly grated coconuts (optional)
• Now, crush everything into a pulp using the hand blender
• Add lemon juice
• Mix everything using your fingers until everything comes together
• Done!

(You can omit coconuts if they are not available.  Without coconuts mint chutney will still taste great.)

Chicken Yoghurt Curry Recipe

• Marinate the chicken pieces with ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder, pepper powder, slit green chilli, salt, turmeric, roasted curry powder and 2 tbsp of plain yoghurt
• Heat oil in a wide pan
• Add a few crushed garlic cloves, curry leaves and chopped onions and fry
• Drop 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder and a few drops of turmeric into the oil and fry
• Now drop all the chicken and fry for a few minutes until well coated
• Cover, lower the flame and let the chicken cook for 5 mins
• Add warm water an inch above the chicken, cover and cook
• Add 1tbsp of coconut milk powder or thick coconut milk for flavour
• Done!