Chicken Biriyani

Chicken Biriyani... A spicy rice variety made on multiple occasions. Whenever I feel like make something special, I think a lot and finally end up with Chicken biriyani. The fried chicken pieces with spice flavours add more taste to the dish.
The cooking is not difficult, but for starters, it may appear time consuming, but after cooking a couple of times, you will learn the time management for the same!

Serves- 6

Ingredients:

1. Chicken- 1 kg
2. Basmati rice-3 cups
3. Onion-2 large
4. Tomato- 1 
5. Egg- 3
6. Garlic- 10 pods
7. Ginger- 2 inch long piece
8. Green chillies- 4
9. Cinnamon stick -4 pieces
10. Cardamom pods - 4
11. Star anise- 3
12. Cloves-4
13. Fennel seeds- 1 teaspoon
14. Bay leaves-4
15. Curry leaves- 10
16. Salt-1 teaspoon
17. Biriyani masala- 1 teaspoon
18. Ghee- 1/4 cup
19. Water- 6 cups
20. Rose essence- 2 teaspoon

Ingredients for marination:

1. Red chilly powder - 2 tablespoon
2. Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon
3. Pepper Powder- 4 teaspoon
4. Corriander Powder - 1 tablespoon
5. Salt-1 1/2 teaspoon
6. Curd- 1 tablespoon
7. Lime juice-2 teaspoon

Method:

1. Cut the chicken into medium pieces and pierce the flesh with a fork.
2. Make a paste of the marinade and marinate the chicken pieces overnight(minimum 4 hours)
3. Wash and drain the rice.
4. Shallow fry them in 2 tablespoon ghee, keep aside
5. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee and fry cloves,cardamom,cinnamon,star anise,fennel seeds,bay leaves till they crackle.
6. To the same pan add the thinly sliced onions and fry them till golden brown.
7. Add the rice along with salt,water to the above and cook covered till rice is cooked.
8. Remove from fire, gently separate the rice with fork.
9. Boil the eggs, remove the shell, cut into half,keep aside.
10. Grind the garlic, ginger,green chillies to a very fine paste
11. Mean while shallow fry the chicken pieces in 1 tablespoon ghee and keep aside.
12. To the same pan add 1 full onion sliced, along with biriyani masala,salt and fry till golden brown.
13. Add tomatoes, grind paste,curry leaves, cover and cook for 2 mins.
14. Add the fried chicken pieces, cover and cook in medium flame till the gravy becomes thick and dry.
15. Remove from fire and keep aside.
16. Next heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan, add a layer of chicken with masala.
17. Cover this with a layer of cooked rice, sprinkle rose essence.
18. Continue the same with the remaining chicken and rice.
19. Cover and cook in low flame for 5 mins.
20. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee and fry 1 onion thinly sliced into dark brown and keep aside.
21. To the same pan add raisins and cashews and toss them.
22. Move the rice to a serving dish and garnish with fried onions,eggs, raisins and cashews.

Yummy mouth watering chicken biriyani is ready! All chicken lovers are gonna love this dish. Serve with Raita , pudina chutney .