Inheritance - Chicken Dum Biryani

There are many thing that we inherit from our parents and grandparents. Dum biryani is one such...it runs in our family. Starting from my late grandfather who was a pro in making them. Usually at home mutton dum biryani is made. Be it family get together, wedding and or Diwali it has always been biryani, grandpa has led the kitchen during those times. Let me tell you, almost a decade before these biryani were always made in bronze cooking pot on wooden fire. The whole process of making this is no less than a festival at home, with whole big bunch of family around. Usually the briyani is accompanied with chicken masala, raita and double ka meeta (bread halwa) is must! We kids we were aw struck with the whole making process, all mom's in the kitchen taking care of pre-preparation step, men at backyard cutting the woods, setting the fire and getting the heating right.By the time we get to eat biryani is late after noon, we end by eating a sweet pan made by grandma. But elders always looking forward to eat biryani the next day. I have admit, now I realise that biryani taste best after its one day old.....With time cooking of biryani move to gas top, the taste did diminish a bit but the essence still remains....so this Diwali I'm here to give you chicken biryani from our family recipe. Here's wishing you a very happy Diwali, may this Diwali brighten all your lives, do have a safe one ...also try to say NO to crackers!

Serving - Serves 3

Ingredients 

Marinade 

Chicken with bones - 800 gram

Yoghurt - 250 gram

Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 tspn

Chopped coriander - 1 1/2 tbspn

Chopped mint - 1 1/2 tbspn

1 Medium size onion sliced 

3 medium size green chilli slit

Garam masala - 2 1/2 tspn 

Salt as per taste

Method

1. Clean and tower dry the chicken pieces.

2. Mix onion, yoghurt, ginger garlic paste, coriander, mint, green chillies, gram masala and salt. 

(TIP : Check salt at this stage before adding chicken)

3. Add chicken to yoghurt marinade.

4. Minimum of four hours of marination is necessary, but overnight marination in refrigerator brings great taste. 

(Note : I do usually a overnight in the refrigerator, this tenderises the meat beautifully)

Fried Onions

2 Large onions onions sliced

Vegetable oil for frying

Method

1. In a deep frying pan, fill half of the pan with oil.

2. Don't wait for oil to warm up, add immediately the sliced onions 

3. Keep the heat on medium

4. Let the onions fry slowly till they are golden brown

For Biryani

Basmathi Rice - 400 gram 

Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 tbspn

Oil - 3 tbspn

Cinnamon stick - 1

Cloves - 5 buds

Bay leaves - 4

Cardamon - 3 

1 small size onion sliced

Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 tspn

Chopped coriander - 1 1/2 tbspn
Chopped mint - 1 1/2 tbspn
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
Red chilly powder - 1 tspn
Garam masala - 1 tspn
Green chilli - 1 (optional)
Salt to tate

Method

1.  Wash the rice and soak them for 30 mins

2. Warm oil and ghee in a heavy bottom pan or pressure cooker

3. When oil is warm add, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon and bay leaves

4. When spices starts to splutter add in onions and one slit green chilli, fry until they are transparent

5. Add in ginger garlic paste fry for 30 sec to one minute until raw flavour diminishes 

6. Next add in chicken marinade and other dry spice powder(turmeric, chilly and garam masala powder)

7. Now cook on the medium heat until the chicken is cooked and yoghurt thickness. check for salt add more if necessary.

8. The stage when yoghurt thickness, it starts to leave oil on the sides. take the chicken and leave it aside.

9. In a deep pot, add about 750 ml to one litre of water and bring it oil.

10. when water starts to boil add soaked rice and let the rice cook till the grains are long and rice is 75% cooked

11. Drain the water from the pot.

Layering of the briyani for dum (slow steaming over heat)

1. In the chicken pan take one half of the chicken mixture out.

2. Spread one half of the 75% cooked rice, 1/3 portion of fried onions and one half of chopped coriander and mint.

3. Next spread rest of the chicken mixture

4. Layer again with rest of rice rice, 1/3 of onions and coriander and mint.

5. Now seal the heavy bottom pan well or close the pressure cooker and let the pressure regular on

6. Keep the pan or cooker on medium heat for about 25 to 30 minutes.  (take care if the heat is not even or hight you will burn your biryani inside) 

NOTE : Important

1. For good sealing, make a dough out of flour and seal along the corners of the pan

2. For better and good steaming, place the cooker or pot on a larger pan filled with water (similar to double boiling) this will result in good steaming and prevent from burning. also this will allow for longer  and safe steaming which will yield better flavour. 

Serving

Before serving gently mix the layering and spread rest of 1/3 of friend onions...and serve hot along with chicken masala and raita.