Chicken Dum Biriyani | Restaurant style chicken biriyani

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Side effects of being married to a big foodie!! One way or the other you are always thinking about cooking something new for your better half who just loves to eat. I was a simple rice - rasam type girl before marriage and in last 5+ years I not only learnt cooking but started enjoying cooking so much that I started my own blog. Doesn't it feel good to make something and get appreciated for it every time :-) 

Some side effects of being with a foodie or being a foodie yourself are so glaring.

1. You are just finishing your lunch and you start thinking about cooking dinner.

2. In the supermarket , you are almost like a robot scanning the vegetables/meat - your mind starts thinking about all possible recipes and what you can cook this week.

3.You have no issues with your spouse inviting guests for dinner every other weekend.It's an even prouder feeling to receive appreciation from guests ;-)

Do you have any other side effects??- do comment below so we can laugh a bit together:))

Every time there are guests coming over, I start planning  the menu and this Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani has to be the first in the list. Then I go on adding my specialties such as Roasted chicken, Fish Rava fry or Masala fry, Chicken sukka etc as certified by the foodoholic of my house aka my husband:) 

There are 100s of variations of making biriyani, the process and the ingredients differ a lot but who can beat the taste of a biriyani with the aroma of spices, fried onions, fresh mint leaves etc.  This post has been in the draft for the longest time and finally I am posting it with all my love for Biriyani. The whole process of making this biriyani is very interesting and I split it into three categories - marinating the chicken with the spices, cooking the rice to the right consistency to be layered and finally dum cooking the biriyani in a handi (pot).

So lets get started with the ingredients, do not faint looking at the long list, after all it's not everyday one makes such elaborate and special dish :-))

Ingredients:

Chicken on bone: 1 kg

Long grained basmati rice : 1 kg
Shahi Jeera/ caraway seeds: 1 tsp
Cloves: 3-4

Oil: 1tsp

Saffron: few strands
Water/Milk: 2-3 tbsp 
Salt to taste
Ghee: 3 tbsp
Broken Cashew Nuts: 15-20
Rose water: 1 tbsp (Optional)
Kewra water: 1 tbsp (Optional)

For Marinade:

Biriyani powder : 3 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder:1 tsp

Coriander powder:1 tbsp

Turmeric powder :1/2 tsp

Green chillies: 3-4

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Curd: 1 cup
Oil: 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice: 2 tbsp

Chopped Mint leaves: 1/4 cup +1/4 cup 

Chopped Coriander leaves:1/4 cup +1/4 cup

Fried onions: 1/4 cup +1/4 cup

Method:
Marinating the chicken:
1. Take all the ingredients for marinade and mix well. Save half of the chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions for dum cooking. Add cleaned chicken pieces and marinate for 3-4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Cooking the rice:

2. Wash and soak rice in enough water for 1 hour. Heat water in a big pot and add salt, 1 tsp oil, caraway seeds and cloves. when the water starts boiling add the soaked rice. We are going to cook it partially. When the rice starts popping up take a grain and press it with your fingers, it will break into 2. It should be half cooked at this stage. Turn off the flame and drain the rice in a colander. Do not overcook the rice as it will get mushy after Dum cooking with Chicken.

Dum cooking the biriyani.
3. Take a thick bottomed pot with a tight lid and heat ghee in it. Fry Cashew nuts and take it out. Soak Saffron in warm milk or water and keep aside.

4. Now add marinated chicken to the remaining ghee in the pot and gently mix it.

5. Add half cooked rice on top of the chicken in layers, arrange the remaining chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions on top of the rice, sprinkle rose water, kewra water, saffron milk and add fried cashews.

6. Put a thick cloth on top and cover with the tight lid or you can also seal the lid with chapathi dough.

7. Keep it on high flame for the first 15 minutes and simmer the flame and let it cook for 30-45 minutes. You can also keep the pot on a heavy bottomed pan so the pot is not directly on fire and the chicken won't burn at the bottom of the pot.

8. Let it cool for 15 minutes. Open the lid and check the rice it would have turned fluffy and fully cooked. Gently mix the chicken and rice together and serve with chilled Cucumber Raita.  

Simple Cucumber raita:
Finely chopped onion: 1
Finely chopped green chillies: 2
Finely chopped/grated slender long cucumber: 2
Chopped Coriander leaves: 2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Chilled Yogurt/Curd: 3 cups

Mix all the ingredients together and chill in the refrigerator.
Please click here to know how to make biriyani powder.--> Fresh Biriyani Powder in a Jiffy

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Paneer do pyaza with capsicum | Cottage Cheese with Onions & Capsicum

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Paneer do pyaza is another Indian curry with rich flavors of cottage cheese, onions and other Indian spices. There is double the quantity of onions used in this gravy, one is sliced/chopped and fried to golden brown that almost melts in the gravy while the other is slightly cooked crunchy onion cubes, hence the name do pyaza (Do is two and Pyaza is Onions).

Paneer has a milky flavor that tastes heavenly when cooked with flavorful Indian masalas. I have added green capsicum for color and peppery taste but it's completely optional. I served this spicy paneer with Garlic Nan, it also goes well with plain roti or chapathi or even as a side dish with flavored rice. Please read on for the recipe.

Ingredients:

Paneer (cottage cheese) : 3 large cups

Sliced medium Onion: 2

Cubed onions: 2-3

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Sliced green chillies: 2

Tomato : 2

Capsicum : 1 (optional)

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Salt to taste 

Oil: 2 tbsp

Chopped Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep pan and add cumin seeds, when they splutter add thinly sliced onion and sauté it.

2. While the onions are cooking grind chopped tomatoes and 1/4 capsicum in a mixer to a coarse paste and keep aside.

3. When the onions turn golden brown in color, mix in turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.

4. Add slit green chillies and sauté for a while.

5. Now mix in salt, red chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well. Add a little water if the masala is sticking to the pan.

6. Next add ground tomato paste and cook until the oil separates. Add capsicum pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding a little water.

7. Add crushed kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and mix well. 

8. Mix in cubed onions and paneer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with your choice of Indian flat bread.

Variations: 

1. For a creamier version add 2 tbsp of fresh cream just before turning it off.

2. Or add 1 tbsp of powdered fried cashew for a thicker gravy.

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