PAKISTAN SPECIAL FOOD – CHICKEN SPICY BIRYANI

Ingredients:

1-Basmati rice 1 kg (washed and soaked)
2-Ginger paste 2 tbsp
3-Chicken 2 (each weighing about ½ - 1 kg, cut into 8 pieces)
4-Clarified butter 2 cups
5-Onions 4 (sliced)
6-Garlic paste 2 tbsp
7-Red chili powder 2 tbsp
8-Fresh coriander hand full (roughly chopped)
9-Turmeric powder ½ tsp
10-Salt 1 tbsp
11-Cinnamon sticks 3
12-Green cardamom 6
13-Cloves 6
14-Green chili 4 (slit)
15-Ripe tomatoes 2 (chopped)
16-Yogurt 1 kg (beaten)
17-Mint leave hand full (roughly chopped)

Cooking Direction:

• Heat clarified butter in a pan.
• Mix the whole spices and sliced onion, fry till they are lightly brown.
• Mix in ginger paste and garlic paste, fry again till it releases aroma.
• Then mix chicken, cook nicely till the oil starts to float.
• Now add in well beaten yogurt and tomatoes, cook for some time till the tomatoes are a bit pulpy.
• Add in salt, red chili powder, turmeric and add one cup of water.
• Simmer on low flame till the oil starts to float.
• Now add fresh coriander, mint leaves and green chilies, fry again for few minutes. Take it off the flame.
• Now fill a large pot with four liter water, salt, one stick of cinnamon, two green cardamom and three cloves. Bring it to a rolling boil.
• Add rice to boiling water and cook till 3/4 done. Meanwhile strain the clarified butter from the chicken gravy and keep aside.
• Strain the rice in a strainer.
• Layering now spread a little clarified butter from the chicken gravy in a large pot.
• Spread a layer of rice over it. Spread chicken with little gravy over the rice. Top it with another layer of rice. then another layer of chicken with paste. Finish with last layer of rice.
• Now sprinkle the clarified butter on top all over the rice.
• Spread a thick cloth over the mouth of the pan and cover it with a tight lid.
• Heat a griddle pan and place the pot over it.
• Steam the biryani over very low heat for 15 minutes.
• Serve hot with eggplant curry and raita.