AMBUR CHICKEN BIRYANI

Serves : 2-3
Preparation time : 20 mins
Cooking time : 50 mins
Ingredients :
250-300gms Chicken - with or without Bones
2 cup Basmati Rice (or) Seeraga Samba Rice - soaked in water for 20 mins
3 medium sized onions - finely chopped
3 tomatoes - finely chopped
2 green chilies - slit at the end
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder (or) chicken masala powder - optional
1 cup whisked curd / yogurt
salt to taste
4 tbsp cooking oil
3 cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick
2-3 bay leaf
1 star anise
2 green cardamom
1 tsp lemon juice

Method :
To Prepare Chicken Masala :

Marinate chicken pieces with turmeric powder and keep aside for 10 mins. Heat 4
tbsp oil in a pan or handi. Temper cloves, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaf and
cardamom.
Add ginger-garlic paste and saute a while. Add 1 tbsp curd and cook for a min on
low flame.
Add marinated chicken and little salt. Cook it covered on low flame for 10 mins.
Remember to not add water, since chicken will cook in its own water.
Add chopped onions and green chilies. Cook for a min. Add chopped tomatoes and
mash the pulp.
Add mint leaves and coriander leaves. Saute a while. Add red chili powder,
coriander powder and remaining curd.
Mix well everything and let it cook for another 5 mins. Remove from the heat and
transfer masala to another bowl.
To Cook Rice :
Soak basmati rice for 20 mins. Boil 9 cup water in a vessel. Once it starts boiling,
add washed & drained rice to it.
Add salt to taste, 2 tsp and sprinkle lemon juice. Cook it on medium-low flame till it
is half cooked (may take around 8-10 mins).
The rice grains will be long & firm but not hard. And the grains will be separate. At
this stage, remove from the heat and drain the water completely. Keep it aside.
For Dum Process :
Take the same pan in which you have cooked chicken masala. Pour a ladle full of
masala to the pan and spread it nicely.
Now spread another layer of half cooked rice. This way, prepare layers of chicken
masala and rice.
Heat a flat frying pan or tava. Keep the pan on tava and cook on low flame for 20-30
mins. Switch it off and remove from tava only at the time of serving. Mix everything
well and serve hot.
Serving Suggestions : Onion Raita, Boiled Eggs, Non-Veg Gravy, Brinjal Pachadi

Notes :
If you want to add edible orange color to biriyani, then mix a pinch of color with 1/4
cup water and dissolve it. Add this to biriyani at the time of preparing layers for dum
process.
You can prepare the same biriyani in a pressure cooker without waiting for dum.
Once chicken masala is ready, measure the amount of liquid and add water
accordingly. Add washed & drained rice, salt and lemon juice. Mix well everything
and close the lid. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and serve hot.