Recipe for Dinner Post Date: 2024-04-24 09:10:20

Ingredients:

For Marinating the Chicken:

• 500g boneless chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped (for garnish)

For Assembling the Biryani:

• 2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• A handful of mint leaves
• A handful of coriander leaves
• 2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
• Whole spices (2-3 cloves, 2-3 green cardamoms, 1-inch cinnamon stick)
• Salt to taste
• Saffron strands (optional)
• Fried onions (optional, for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Marinating the Chicken:

   • In a large bowl, combine yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, cumin powder, salt, and lemon juice.
   • Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and coat them well. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.

2. Cooking the Rice:

   • In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add salt and whole spices (cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon).
   • Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water. Cook the rice until it's 70-80% done. It should still have a slight bite to it.
   • Drain the rice and set it aside.

3. Assembling the Biryani:

   • In a heavy-bottomed pan or a biryani pot, heat ghee over medium heat.
   • Add sliced onions and green chilies. Sauté until the onions turn golden brown.
   • Spread half of the cooked rice evenly over the onions.
   • Arrange the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer over the rice.
   • Sprinkle half of the mint and coriander leaves over the chicken.
   • Layer the remaining rice over the chicken.
   • Garnish with the remaining mint and coriander leaves.
   • If using saffron, dissolve it in a tablespoon of warm milk and drizzle it over the rice for added flavor and color.
   • Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the chicken to cook in the steam.

4. Serving:

   • Once done, gently fluff the biryani with a fork, ensuring that the chicken and rice are evenly mixed.
   • Garnish with fried onions and fresh coriander leaves.
   • Serve hot with raita (yogurt dip) or a side salad.