When you feel like chicken and rice, are craving spices, and you want to be stuffed; why not make Chicken Biryani.

Meals that involve rice are my favorite. Biryani’s range of flavors include potatoes, eggs, onions, and chicken blended with spices, served with a cooling yogurt drink.

 

Chicken Biryani (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 2-3 Chicken breast diced in small cubes, soaked in lemon juice and salt
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 Tomato
• 1 1/2 tbsp Garlic paste
• 1 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
• 2 tbs Green Masala***
• 1 Pinch Black pepper, powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp Garam masala
• 1 tbs Corriander Cumin
• 1 tsp Turmeric, powder
• 1 tsp Red chili powder
• 5-6 small mint leaves
• 1 tbsp Yogurt
• 1 tbs olive oil
• opt: 1 tbs hindustani masala
• opt: curry masala
• 1 tbs coconut oil
• 1.5 Red onion, large, thin slices
• 2 med potatoes, peeled, cut in 4
• 2 boiled eggs
• 1/2 tsp Saffron
• 2 tbs Milk
• 1  tsp Salt (to taste)
• 2 tsp Oil
• 3-5 cloves
• 2 small pieces of cinnamon
• 1 badiya flower
• 2-3 green cardimon
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 2 green or red chilis
• 1 cup basmati rice
• small bunch cilantro

Directions

1. Wash and soak rice for 30 mins (while prepping)
2. Heat milk for 15 seconds in microwave, mix in saffron and set aside
3. Heat 1/2 tbs coconut oil in a fry pan and fry diced yellow onions, until slightly crisps
4. Transfer the cooked onion pieces into a blender. Add one chopped tomato, green masala, salt, turmeric powder, garlic paste, ginger paste, garam masala, ground coriander/cumin powder, red chili powder, mint leaves and black pepper powder and blend until you get a smooth paste.
5. Stir in olive oil and yogurt.
6. Wash soaked, diced chicken and stir in the paste you just made.Cover and let chicken marinate for 30 mins minutes.
7. Now in the same frying pan where you cooked onion pieces, add another tsp of coconut oil and add sliced onions and cook on slow to get them browned but not burnt. Set aside.
8. In a pot boil the potatoes until cooked all the way about 12 minutes, drain, fry them in the same pan as the onions.
9. In a pot boil eggs for about 7 minutes, peel, cut in half
10. Add rice to boiling water and cooked for 7 minutes, drain, mix  with saffron milk, 1/2 tbs ghee, and set aside.
11. In a deep pot heat 1 tbs ghee and saute cinnamon, badiya flower, green cardamon, bay leaves, curry leaves, green/red chili for about 2-4 mins; until fragrant
12. Turn heat to low and mix in marinated chicken and stir
13. With heat on low layer chicken to cover base
14. Make a layer of fried onions over the chicken
15. Make a layer of potatoes and egg
16. Layer the rice over the potato and egg
17. Wrap a cloth over the lid and cover pot.
18. Cook on low heat for 20-25 mins
19. Let rest for 10 mins
20. Top with cilantro
21. Serve with Chaas**

 

Chaas**

• 3 tbs yogurt
• 1/2 diced tomato
• 1 finely chopped green chili
• 1 tbs cumin powder
• 1tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water
• cilantro

1. Mix all ingredients in a shaker

 

Green Masala***

• 1/2 Cup garlic
• 1/2 Cup ginger
• 1/4 green chilis
• 1 tbs tumeric
• 1 tbs salt

1. Combine all ingredients except salt in a blender
2. mix in salt
3. Makes about 3/4 cup of masala, can refrigerate and store for later use up to 3 months or can freeze for 6 months.

 

Inspired by: Naive Cook Cooks