Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

• Oil
• Cloves - 3
• Cardamom - 2
• Bay leaves - 2
• Onion - 1 medium
• Green Chilli - 2
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Tomato - 1 medium
• Chicken
• Biryani masala (Preparation given below)
• Mint Leaves - 10 to 15 leaves
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp
• Basmati Rice - 2 cups
• Salt as required
• Fried Onions (opt) for Garnishing
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Biryani Masala Preparation (Blend the below mentioned ingredients) :

4 number bay leaf

• 4 number black cardamom
• 1 tsp black cumin
• 4 number cinnamon sticks
• 8 piece cloves
• 2 tbsp coriander pdr
• 1 tbsp cumin pdr
• 10 piece dried plums
• 2 tbsp fried onion
• 10 number gr cardamom
• 10 number pepper corns
• 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1 tsp red chilli pdr
• 1/4 tsp turmeric

Preparation:

Soak Basmati rice in water for minimum 15 mins.

In a pan,

Oil + Whole Garam Masala (Cloves, Cardamom, Bay leaves) + Onion + Green Chilli + Ginger garlic paste + Tomato + Chicken + Biryani Masala + Mint Leaves + Corriander leaves (lil)--> Saute till the oil leaves, Masala smell goes and till the chicken gets cooked well. Add garam masala.

If using a pressure cooker,

add rice to the above curry (the proportion is usually 1 cup of basmati rice : 1/5 cups of water), add salt as required. When the water starts to boil, close the cooker and apply pressure to it. Leave for 2 whistles. Then keep the cooker in low flame for 2 mins before you switch off.

If using a electric cooker(I use this),

Put the curry, rice , req water, salt and then set on the cooker. I feel tat biryani comes best wen using an electric cooker. The rice is more separate wen cooked in it.

Garnish with fried onions, corriander leaves. Serve hot with raita.

P.S: If you are confused with the amount of salt to be added, after putting in all the ingredients and before closing the cooker, taste the biryani water. It should be a lil more saltier than req.