Dum Chicken Biryani

“The mere mention of the word Biryani and you are reduced to a Pavlovian subject, Salivating over the aromatic basmati rice and the marinated succulent chicken with perfect blend of spices.”

It's our family’s favorite dish. I owe it to my mother in law who has passed this recipe and is always treasured by me as one of the precious possession.

Ingredients
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2 cups Basmati Rice

500 to 750g chicken cut into pieces and marinated with

1/3 cup yogurt / sour cream

2 Onions finely chopped

2 Tomatoes finely chopped
1tablespoon Ginger paste 

1tablespoon Garlic paste

5 Cardamoms 

5 Cloves 

1 stick Cinnamon 

1teaspoon Black whole Peppercorn

1 to 2 Bay leaves
Dry masalas

1 teaspoon Turmeric powder 

2 teaspoon Chili powder 

2 teaspoon Coriander powder 

2 teaspoon Cumin powder 

1 tablespoon Garam masala

3 to 4 tablespoon oil/ghee

1/3 cup Mint Leaves 

1 or 2 Green Chillies

1/2 Coriander leaves chopped
Grind these leaves and chilies into a paste and keep it aside

Few Strands of Saffron dissolved in milk

Salt to taste

Cashews nuts fried lightly in oil.

Few drops of Tandoori colour(optional)

Partially cook the rice adding salt, cinnamon stick and 1 teaspoon of  white vinegar (Apparently the vinegar makes the rice long and not sticky). Be Careful not to over cook the rice. Drain the water and spread the rice in a plate. Sprinkle colour randomly( optional).

Heat oil /ghee in a pan add whole spices (cardamoms, cloves, and cinnamon, bay leaves, peppercorn) to it. Add  chopped onions and sauté till translucent. Add ginger and garlic paste. Add the  chopped tomatoes and add all the dry masalas, cook the paste till done.  Add the  marinated chicken piece and cook for 5 mins. When the chicken is half done, now is the time to add the grind leaves paste. If the chicken becomes dry, add some water Cover and cook till the chicken is done.

Assembling the rice and chicken.

Take a heavy bottom vessel with a perfect lid that fits the vessel so that the steam cannot escape.

Grease the bottom of the vessel with ghee. Layer a portion of rice. Add a portion of cooked chicken curry on the top and add some spring of mint and saffron milk. Continue with the same process and topping it with rice, mint leaves, saffron milk and nuts. Cover the lid and seal the edges with wheat dough. Cook on low fire for 10 mins. Switch of the fire. Remove the lid just before serving it. Savour it and enjoy it with Raita/salad. 

PS - Recently I made the same chicken biryani  and  gave Dungar ( Charcoal flavour ) to it. It was amazing. Take a piece of coal and burn it on the gas flame. Now take a aluminium foil and give it a bowl shape. when the coal is burned throughly, transfer the coal into the aluminium bowl using a pair of thongs. drizzle a teaspoon of ghee to release the smoke. Quickly open the lid of the biryani and place the foil of smoke inside the lid. Close the lid for 5 to 10 minutes and discard the coal before serving. The  charcoal flavour biryani is ready and it has distinct  flavour ( adapted from the book - Cooking for Maharajas).