Today as our friends leave back to their home, I wanted to make something very special for them for lunch. I made this exotic biryani as a send off meal.
As we sat down to have our last meal together, we talked, laughed, giggled, chuckled, screamed, yelled, at each other, we were one family.
Until we meet again….
Serves 4
For the Chicken Marination:
Ingredients:
4 medium sized onions, cut into thin slices,
1 kg chicken, biryani cut, washed, cleaned and drained,
1 cup thick yougurt,
1 tsp turmeric powder,
2 tsp ginger garlic paste,
1/2 cup browned onions,
1-1/2 tsp garam masala powder,
2 tsp red chilli powder,
1/4 cup oil,
Salt as required for the chicken
Method:
Deep fry the onions in hot oil. Drain on kitchen paper. Store the unused onions in an air tight container. Mix all the ingredients required for the marination together. Cover with a cling film and leave it in the refrigerator.
Note: If possible, try to marinate the chicken a day in advance, otherwise marinate it for a minimum of 4 hours.
For the Rice:
Ingredients:
1/2 kg good quality Basmati rice,
1 inch stick of cinnamon,
4-5 cloves,
1 tsp pepper corns,
3-4 green cardamom,
2 tbsp salt
Method:
Bring 2 liters of water to a boil. Add all the whole spices and salt. Add the rice and once half done, remove and drain the water immediately. Spread the cooked rice evenly in a big plate and allow it to cool completely. Its important to make sure that the rice is only half done. Remember, the rice is going to get cooked further.
Ingredients:
1 cup of mint leaves,
4-5 green chillies,
Method:
Grind the mint and chilles to a fine paste. Set aside.
Ingredients:
4 small onions, grated,
4 small tomatoes, grated,
4 tbsp paste of green chillies and mint
1/4 cup oil, or ghee,
3-4 green chillies, slit length wise,
1 cup cold milk,
A few strands of saffron or saffron colour,
2 tsp kewra essence,
Few mint leaves,
Salt to sprinkle in between
Method:
- Take a heavy bottomed pan, non-stick or aluminium, and put oil.
- In full flame, add the grated onions and fry well. Once it starts to become golden brown in color, add the grated tomato.
- Allow the oil to separate. Now add the mint and green chilli paste. Mix well and fry until oil comes up.
- Now put the marinated chicken and mix well. Arrange the pieces evenly and spread the marinade evenly.
- Now spread half of the chopped mint on top of this. Add the slit green chillies.
- Put all of the half cooked rice on top of this and spread evenly. Sprinkle some salt. Gently press it.
- Add the oil or ghee evenly.
- Now add a cup of milk along with the saffron and kewra essence evenly.
- Top it up with some more browned onions, fried cashews and mint.
- Cover with a tight lid. I made this in a big pressure cooker, so I put the lid of the cooker and locked it without the weight.
- Put this now on an iron tawa (iron girdle) and keep it in high flame for 10 mins.
- Then simmer the flame and allow it slow cook for 40 mins.
- Serve hot with curd raitha.