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Chicken Briyani



This is a very popular Indian dish made with highly seasoned rice and meat, fish or vegetables. There are numerous ways to prepare this and since this was my first attempt, I made it the easiest way - to cook the rice and chicken separately and layer them.  This is also known as 'Katchi Briyani'. The recipe below may seem long and complicated, but honestly, it's not that hard.. Do give it a try!

Ingredients:
Rice
Basmati Rice - 2 1/4 cups
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Briyani powder - 1 tbsp (I used Aachi) *optional
Cinnamom stick - 1
Cardamon - 4
Cloves - 5
Star anise - 1
Bay leaves - 2
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Water - 4 cups
Salt to taste

Chicken:
Chicken - 1 kg cut into medium sized pieces
Ginger-garlic paste - 6 tbsp
Onions - 4 thinly sliced
Tomatoes - 1 chopped
Green chilies - 3 slit
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cardamom - 4
Cinnamon stick - 1
Cloves - 5
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Chili powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Garnishing:
Coriander leaves - chopped
Mint leaves - chopped

***********************************************************************

To prepare rice:
1. Wash and drain Basmati rice and keep aside.
1. Heat ghee over medium heat and fry cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, star anise and bay leaves until fragrant.
2. Add Briyani powder and stir the mixture.
3. Add rice and mix well until every grain is coated.
4. Remove rice from heat and place in rice cooker. Add all remaining ingredients and cook rice.

To prepare chicken:
1. Roast fennel, cumin and cardamom over low heat until fragrant. Blend to a powder and set aside.
2. Marinate the chicken pieces with the prepared powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt. (for approximately an hour)
3. Heat some oil and fry whole spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and star anise.
4. Once fragrant, add green chilies and chopped onions. Saute until the onions turn golden brown and add tomatoes, turmeric powder, chili powder and coriander powder.
5. Continue to stir over low heat until the tomatoes are soft and pulpy.
6. Once the oil starts to ooze out of this mixture, add the chicken pieces and cook well.
7. Check salt levels and remove from heat once chicken is cooked.

To layer:
1. Once rice is cooked, fluff it up and set aside half of it.
2. Layer with cooked chicken. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and mint leaves.
3. Add the remaining rice and repeat step 2.
4. Set the rice cooker to 'Keep Warm' until serving time.
5. Mix nicely from bottom and serve with some yogurt salad or raita!




* You could add some crushed safron or yellow colouring when cooking the rice for a nice color. Since I did not have it at home, I omitted it.. hence the pale color. It tasted great nevertheless :)
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