Chicken Biriyani Twisted With Coconut Milk gravy

Serves :  4 people

Ingredients:

For the marinade

1 Kg chicken cut in 13 pieces

Small bunch of cilantro

¼ cup mint

2 tablespoon Chilli powder ( Depends on your taste buds)

4  table spoon ginger and garlic paste

2 tsp ground fennel

2 table spoon  Yoghurt

Salt as needed

For the Curry

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2-inch chunk of ginger, minced

1 large bunch of cilantro

½ cup mint

1 cup thick coconut milk

2 cups water/broth

1 tablespoon ground fennel/saunf

2 tsp  turmeric powder

2 tablespoon garam masala

6-7 whole cloves

2 sticks cinnamon

6-7 whole peppercorns

3 whole star anise

3 dry bay leaves

Salt as needed

For the rice

3 cups Basmati rice

2 Small onion sliced

3 whole cloves

2 cardamom pods, cracked

1 bay leaf

 3 table spoon  ghee

5 ½ cups of water

For garnish

Handful of cashews and raisins roasted in ghee

Method of Preparation

Grind together the marinade ingredients. Make slits on the chicken  pieces , coat with the marinade and let rest for a few hours or overnight.

To make the curry, saute the onions, garlic and ginger in oil until translucent. Remove from heat and cool. Grind together the cooked onions, cilantro and mint. In a deep bowl, roast the whole spices in ghee until their aromas are released. Return the onion mixture to the pan and cook until the oil starts seperating. Add the dry spices and salt, mix and saute for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook on medium until the meat is fully cooked. Let the curry cool until just warm.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. Roast the whole spices in ghee and the saute the onions in the same. When soft, add the Basmati rice and roast for a few minutes. Add water and salt and cook the rice until half done( Or 8 Minutes depends on rice).  Drain excess water  spread over a plate.  Let it cool to warm. Do not touch the rice when hot as they are most brittle then.

When ready to assemble, spread the rice in a deep dish, oven proof pan. A little by little add the curry and gently tossed until it’s just wet. The recipe makes a lot of curry than you need. For 3 cups of raw rice, you will not need more a cup and a half of the curry. Arrange the chicken pieces around the dish, cover with a bit rice, so they don’t dry out. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20minutes.( If you don’t oven,  keep the dishes in big pan cover with plate on top  with some burned coal /wood pieces burned and make  Simmer it  for 20 minutes)have the Check in between to see if the biryani is drying out. If so, add more curry and gently toss.

To serve, scoop out the rice into a platter, arrange the drumsticks around and sprinkle roasted cashews raisins over. Biryani is typically served with a simple raita  made with diced onions in yoghurt .

Post by Easy Recipe.