I've made this chicken biriyani many times and it's always been a heart warming meal with the eggs, raitha and Pappad.
This picture was taken when I cooked for my best friend in Shillong who came over for lunch and being the hungry foodies that we are had no patience to click a perfect picture of the mouthwatering meal ;)
With a little prep ahead this meal will come out beautifully.To start with..
1) soak 2 cups of long grain basmati rice in water for 15-20 minutes . Drain and keep aside.
2) sauté in one spoon of hot ghee
-one whole cinnamon stick
- two cardomom pods
-3 cloves
- 4 whole black pepper cones
- one- two dried bay leaf
- one star anise
- one skin dried inner skin of nutmeg.
To the roasted spices add in the drained rice sauté for 2 minutes and keep aside.
3) In one spoon of ghee sauté a handful of cashews and once that sizzles and in a handful of raisins. Sauté till the raisins get puffed up. Keep aside for garnish .
4) sauté
-4-5 finely diced red onions till light golden and keep aside half of it for garnish and to the rest of the onions in the pan,
In low heat, Add in
- a spoon of ginger garlic paste
- one teaspoon of turmeric powder
- one teaspoon of coriander powder
- one teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder
- one teaspoon of garam masala.
- salt and pepper .saute together and
- add puréed or finely diced two tomatoes..
-let everything come together, sauté in medium heat till oil seperates.
- add in half kg or 2 cups of chicken with bone.(medium sized.)
- mix together and cover and cook for 10 minutes till the chicken is half cooked and juices have come out.
- At this stage, add in 3 and a half cup of chicken stock to the chicken, let it boil,check salt.
- now add in the roasted rice to it.
-cover tightly and cook for 15-20 minutes..in medium heat. It's good to check after 15 minutes. And lower the heat if needed.
- remove from heat , let is rest for 10- 15 more minutes.
5) In that time frame boil 2-3 eggs , peel and slice into halves .
6) to make the raita mix curd with some water to a paste like consistency.
- add in 2 diced green chillis
- one diced tomato
- one red onion
- one grated carrot and a bunch of fresh coriander leaves- (optional)
- salt and pepper.
garnish the fragrant rice with the fried onions, roasted cashews and sultanas ,(fresh coriander leaves optional) eggs and serve with the raitha and Pappad and pickle.. Yummmm..:-)
