Malabar Style Chicken Biryani !!

I love one pot meals.Especially Biriyani.With immense varieties of Biriyani around,to catch up with one of your favorite is bit difficult.But for me,this Malabar style Biriyani is my all time favorite.I can have several plates in one sitting.It's absolutely a wonderful flavor with a specially prepared masala.If you are planning properly,it's a quick fix too..With festival season is round the corner,just give it a try !

Ingredients

1 kg chicken,cut into medium pieces
1 kg kaima rice/basmati rice
500 gm onion,sliced finely
3-4 big tomatoes,chopped
*3 tsp biriyani special masala powder
1 cup curd
1 bunch coriander leaves,chopped
1 small bunch mint leaves,chopped
juice of one lime
ghee/oil as needed
salt to taste
hot water to cook the rice (double the measure of rice)

To marinate chicken

2 tsp kashmiri chilly powder
half tsp turmeric powder
salt

To grind to a fine paste

50 gm ginger
50 gm garlic
3-4 green chillies
1 tsp poppy seeds,soaked in hot water for half an hour

For garnishing

cashews,raisins & fried onion

*For special biriyani masala powder

2gm cinnamon
1 gm cardamom
1 gm cloves
1/4 nutmeg
half tsp fennel seed
half tsp cumin seed
half tsp shah jeera/cake seed
2 gm mace
(Roast all these and powder)

Method

Marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric,chilly powders and salt for 2-3 hours.Marinating overnight is better.Shallow fry the chicken pieces till light brown.This will keep the chicken pieces intact in Biriyani.Heat oil/ghee in a kadai and fry the cashews,raisins and onion.The onion can be taken from the 500 gm sliced one.Handful is enough.Meanwhile grind ginger,garlic,chilly and poppy seed to a fine paste.Heat oil/ghee in a deep vessel and roast the sliced onion till light brown.Add tomatoes and ginger paste to this and fry till the raw smell disappears.Add curd and salt to this.Now add chicken pieces and mix well.Cover and cook in medium flame.When it's half cooked,add the lime juice,chopped coriander & mint leaves.To this add 2 tsp biriyani masala powder.Mix well and cook till the water is somewhat absorbed.Keep closed.Wash the rice and drain in a colander.Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed deep vessel and roast the rice till soft and water absorbs.Add salt and double quantity of hot water to this.Cook in full flame till the water is almost drained and rice is 3/4 cooked.Now assembling can be begun.Spread the rice over the first layer of chicken.Sprinkle biriyani masala powder,fried cashews,raisins and onion over this and layer again with chicken and continue the whole process.The final layer should be rice with garnish.Now dum or slow cooking is needed.If you are depending on a stove top method,the pot should be covered with a tight lid.The steam should not be released.You may put live coals over the top as well.Slow cook for 15 minutes.One other method is baking.Preheat the oven to 180 degree.Bake for 10-15 minutes.Serve hot with raita and pappads.

*Recipe Source : Ummi Abdulla

*To convert it to a healthy meal is an option.I use oil instead of ghee.My biriyani often consist of 1 tsp ghee which I use to roast the rice.With absolutely no compromise in taste.The exclusion of ghee in fact is an intelligent option since you won't feel heavy and frustrated after few handfuls.

**This Biriyani is on it's way to participate in the following two events:
Royal Feast Biriyani event hosted by Reva of Kaarasaaram



& to Christmas Delicacy Event hosted by Julie at Erivum Puliyum