Delicious and Easy Chicken Biryani
Biryani is undoubtedly one of the heartiest, most aromatic plates of food on the planet. The process can somewhat be lengthy and intimidating, but don’t fear as I have found a way to cook a quick biryani in almost no time without compromising on the flavour.
This is my quick version and I have opted to use peas instead of lentils, also because we love peas. Off course the traditional method is a labour of love, but when your 11 year old son says to you, that he feels for Chicken Biryani for dinner on a Monday, and that news he delivers after three o’clock in the afternoon, you make a plan if you can.
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I hope you give it a try, and feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.
Happy cooking.
Click below to watch the video.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/esGS49PpCow
Watch the video below
Quick and Easy Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Oil sunflower oil
- 2 cups Basmati rice cooked half done and set aside
- 3 Potatoes cubed and steamed with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- 1 tsp jeera (cumin) seeds
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 3 large onions sliced
- 2-3 dried red chillies
- 1 kg chicken cut into pieces
- 1 tsp soomph (fennel) powder
- 1 tsp kasuri methi
- 1 tsp dhania (coriander) powder
- 1 tsp jeera (cumin) powder
- 2 tsps chilli powder more if you prefer the heat
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- a dash of water
- 1/2 cup chopped mint
- few sprigs curry leaves
- 250 grams frozen peas
- 1 cup thick yoghurt
- 1/2 cup chopped dhania
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Steam you potatoes and set aside
- Cook your rice until it just over half done and set aside
- Add oil to a large pot on medium heat
- Fry the steamed potatoes until golden, remove and set aside
- Add the garlic and ginger and fry for about a minute
- Add in the whole spices - fry for a minute
- Add dried red chillies
- Add onions and fry until golden. Remove about 1/2 cup of the onions once the onions have turned golden brown - set aside
- Add the chicken and salt
- Next add the ground spices and allow to simmer for a few minutes- you might need to add a few drops of water
- Add chopped mint and curry leaves, followed with the tomato paste with a dash of water- cook for a few minutes
- Add peas and yoghurt and combine wellAllow it to simmer for a few minutes
- Layer the fried potatoes onto the chicken and add more chopped mint
- Top with the rice
- Add the fried onions, blobs of butter and chopped coriander
- Steam on the stove top on low for about 15-20 minutes
- NB- check the side of the pot, by slotting a spoon gently into the rice to see if the water has dried, then it’s done!Serve with raita and carrot salad.