Kacchey Murg Ki Dum Biryani (Chicken Biryani Cooked in Dum Style)

This is a very comforting dish to serve and the preparations can be made beforehand. The assembly and cooking can be done upto an hour before the arrival of your guests. Ideally, onions and garlic are added raw, but I prefer to cook it to avoid the unpleasant odour. Serves 4

Ingredients:

1. Chicken (medium sized pieces)                                                          1 kg
2. Rice                                                                                                           150 gms
3. Onions (cut into thin strips)                                                                4 large
4. Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilli Paste                                                4 tbsps
5. Sour Curd                                                                                                 250 gms
6. Tomatoes (cut into small pieces)                                                        4 large
7. Green Chillies (Chopped finely)                                                          2
8. Coriander Leaves (chopped finely)                                                     4 tbsps
9. Mint leaves (chopped finely)                                                                2 tbsps
10. Extra Virgin Olive Oil                                                                             4 tbsps
11. Butter                                                                                                         1 tbsp
12. Kewra Water (Orris Water)                                                                   1 tsp
13. Rose Water                                                                                                1 tsp
14. Milk                                                                                                             10 ml
15. Salt                                                                                                               2 tsps

Whole Spices:

1. Cinnamon stick                                                                                        1 small
2. Cloves                                                                                                         6
3. Green Cardamom                                                                                    4
4. Bay Leaves                                                                                                2
5. Saffron                                                                                                  10-12 strands
6. Star Anise                                                                                                  2

Ground Spices:

1. Turmeric Powder                                                                                    2 1/2 tsps
2. Red Chilli Powder (Kashmiri)                                                              2 tsps
3. Garam Masala Powder                                                                           1 tsp
4. Dhania (Coriander) Powder                                                                  1 tsp
5. Jeera (Cumin) Powder                                                                           1 tsp
6. Methi (Fenugreek) Powder                                                                   1/4 tsp
7. Fennel (Sauf) Powder                                                                             1/4 tsp

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the rice for almost an hour. Then strain the water and cook it in an open pan with a glass of water. As soon as the grains begin to swell, turn off the flame. Strain the rice.DO not cook it more than that.
2. Take a big vessel and put sour curd, ground spices, chopped green chillies, chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves, 3 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil, 4 strands of saffron in it. Drop in the chicken and coat evenly with the paste. Add salt and cover and leave to marinate for 2 hours
3. Take a wok (kadhai) and deep fry thin onion slices from one onion till brown. Take it out on a paper towel and keep it aside.
4. Soak the remaining strands of saffron in milk and keep aside.
5. Take a wok and put in the whole spices and butter with i tbsp of Olive oil. Add the rest of the sliced onions and sautee until transparent.
6. Now add Ginger, Garlic and Green chilli paste and sautee till the raw smell dissipates. There is no need to cook it completely, this is just to take care of the raw smell.
7. Turn the flame off.
8. After this, add this to the marinated chicken and mix well.

For the assembly:

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, spread chicken pieces evenly with all the paste and juices.
2. Add Kewra water, rose water and half of the fried onions and spread them evenly over the chicken
3. Seal the pan with aluminium foil and put it on low flame. Place the lid on top and cook for an hour
4. Open the lid, add the saffron soaked milk to the rice and seal with foil again
5. Turn off the flame and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
6. Open and serve hot with fried onions, mint leaves and slit green chillies on top.
7. Ideal accompaniment to the Biryani would be cold cut cucumber slices and raita to go with it.