Chicken biryani and raita

May 2020 (Public) | April 2021 (Private)

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Chicken biryani — a meat and rice dish, layered

Cucumber raita — a yogurt-based side, with cucumbers and spices

Ingredients & Supplies

Supplies

• Dutch oven

• Mixing bowls

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 2 medium onions

• Ginger-garlic paste (or fresh ginger and garlic)

• Tomato

• Dahi (Indian yogurt — if this isn’t available, greek yogurt will do)

• Basmati rice

• Mint leaves

• Milk

• Cucumber

• Spices

  • Turmeric

  • Garam masala

  • Red chili powder

  • Biryani masala (I use MDH Bombay biryani)

  • Kasoori methi

  • Saffron

Cook-along Steps

Prepare and marinate the chicken

Chop chicken into bite-size pieces. In a big bowl, mix together: 2 tbsp greek yogurt (or dahi), 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp garam masala.

Add the cut chicken pieces into the marinade, mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Create fried onions

Thinly slice one large onion.

Pour enough oil to cover the bottom of a pan, and heat the oil for frying.

Once the oil is hot, add the sliced onions and fry on medium-high heat, until they are a dark, caramelized brown (about 7 min). Then, remove from the pan onto a paper towel.

Start the biryani masala

Chop or slice the unfried onion. In a Dutch oven, heat up 2 tbsp ghee or oil. Add the onions and sautee them. Chop the tomato and keep ready for the next step.

Add aromatics & spices

Add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (or mince 1” ginger and 3 cloves garlic). Keep stirring, and cook until the ginger and garlic are fragrant. Then, add the chopped tomato and 1 tsp table salt.

Prepare the spices: 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp garam masala, 2 tbsp biryani masala, 1 tsp red chili powder

Add to the pot when the oil and masala start separating.

For the rice, in a medium-size pot, bring about 6 cups of water to boil.

Cook chicken into the masala

Let the masala simmer on medium-heat and keep stirring.  Add water, if needed to keep from sticking to the bottom.

Once a dark brown color, add 2 tbsp of Greek yogurt or sour cream and mix quickly.

Create a well in the middle of the masala, and add the chicken.  Mix and cook on medium-high heat.

Separately, in a small glass, put a couple strands of saffron in about ½ cup of milk.  Set aside.

Finish the masala & partially cook the rice

Continue cooking the masala & stirring the chicken. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Chop the fresh mint and set aside.

Meanwhile, add 2 cups of basmati rice to boiling water, and set a timer for 9 minutes. After 9 min, drain the rice and set aside.

Layer the biryani

Start with the layer of chicken masala

Cover with the half-cooked rice

Garnish with chopped mint leaves, fried onions, and kasoori methi.

Poke holes in the rice and pour small amounts of the saffron milk in each hole.

Make the raita as biryani bakes

Cover the biryani and put into the preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, peel & grate a cucumber. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Get a mixing bowl for the raita. Start with 2 cups of dahi or greek yogurt. Add 1/2 tsp table salt, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, and the grated & drained cucumber.

Garnish and serve with raita

Garnish with fresh cilantro and mint. Feel free to add a boiled egg or other toppings to make it your own.

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