Chicken Biryani
I'm always ready for a delicious rice dish, and this one has been one that I've wanted to do for a while. Two weeks ago a friend I met in Spain at the beginning of the year came to visit, her name is Sarah, she is from India.
I was fasting the days she was in Rotterdam, so we got into talking about all types of fasting customs in India, and she mentioned that at the end of Ramadan, Muslims do a lot of biryani dishes. It got me wondering, and you know what happens when my little brain wonders?... Yes, that's right new recipes.
So off I went and made chicken biryani for Eid Il'Ftir (end of fasting party). I know the picture looks like a mess, but it is a delicious-fun-mess! Promise!
This recipe yields 6 portions.
Ingredients:
3 Chicken thighs
3 Small potatoes (quartered)
3 Tomatoes (chopped)
1 white onion (julienned)
3 Eggs (hard boiled)
2 cups of basmati rice (washed)
3 garlic cloves (mashed)
1 teaspoon of ginger (mashed)
5 dry lime leaves
1 tablespoon of cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon of black pepper corns
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1 tablespoon of paprika and tomato paste
1 cup of natural yogurt
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoon of butter or ghee
1 tablespoon of raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon of rose petals (optional)
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. In a pan add oil and butter (ghee) and brown the onions, almost until burnt. Keep them a side.
2. In the same pan, add a bit of oil, 1 tablespoon of butter, 3 lime leaves and some pepper corn and sauté for a few minutes, then add the potatoes and brown.
3. While the potatoes brown up, add to the chicken, the spices, the burnt onions, tomatoes and yogurt.
4. Once the potatoes have browned up, put them a side, and add the chicken pieces, skin down. Add the rest of the mixture and 1 cup water. Add the potatoes, cover and let it simmer on high heat for an hour.
5. In another pan, add lime leaves, pepper corn and raisins, the rest of the oil and butter, sauté for 5 minutes and add 4 cups of water. Then add the basmati rice, bring to a boil for 5 minutes and drain water.
6. Add the eggs to the pot where the stew is, and cover with the pre-cooked rice. Cover and let it steam for 10 minutes on the lowest heat. Turn off and serve warm. Garnish with cilantro and the rose petals.
Tips:
1. Cooking all in one pan just bring flavors. The onion burnt was in each layer of flavor.
2. By placing the rice on top, after pre-cooking it, guarantees that it stays al dente and when scooping to serve, you'll get white grains as well golden grains colored by the chicken stew.
3. The raisin just balances the acidity of the tomatoes and enhances the spices.
4. Instead of cilantro, toasted pistachio can be added, or toasted almonds, or a combination of both.
5. I love how the rose petals bring color and mixes with the aromas.
Enjoy!
