Chicken biryani is a popular dish around the world. In India, each state has a great spread of recipes that are different in techniques and taste. It applies for biryani too. As each type of biryani is unique and the cooking techniques are completely different. This recipe is South-Indian style seeraga samba biryani that is made with chicken, rice and lots of spices.

My favourite food is biryani. It is always a delight when I eat biryani. It lifts my mood instantly and makes me happy. I can keep on talking about biryani, as it also brings in memories with my family and friends. My grandmother makes delicious biryani and I will actually eat more in the name of tasting. After her, my mother’s biryani is the best till date. All my friends are really fond of my mother’s biryani. My mother used to pack me extra lunch boxes whenever she makes biryani and it will vanish quickly. That tasty it is!

When I learnt this biryani 8 years ago, it seemed like the easiest and the most delicious thing to cook on earth. It is so easy to make this simple, yet flavorful biryani with the ingredients in your pantry. Whenever I cook biryani its like a therapy. I like to cook varieties of biryani. I also like eating biryani in small portions. This way I feel I’m not feeling heavy, as well as enjoying each mouthful of biryani slow and steady. I like having biryani at my mom’s place with accompaniments like Chicken 65, dalcha, mint-coriander thovayal and raitha. Nowadays I just make biryani and raitha, as my husband loves this combo. I make some thovayal and Chicken 65 rarely. My friends and family loves my biryani recipes. Hope you enjoy this recipe too. Happy cooking!

Ingredients

• Chicken with bone – 500 gms
• Seeraga samba rice – 2 cups
• Water – 4 cups
• Ghee – 2 tbsp
• Oil – 4 tbsp
• Whole spices – Cinnamon – 1 inch piece, Cloves – 4, Cardamom – 4, Star anise – 2, Bay leaf – 2
• Big onion – 2 (medium size, sliced)
• Tomato – 2 (finely chopped)
• Green chillies – 4
• Ginger garlic paste – 1.5 tbsp
• Mint – 1 cup chopped
• Coriander – 1 cup chopped
• Curd / Yogurt – 1/2 cup
• Chilly powder – 2.5 tsp
• Garam masala – 1.5 tsp
• Lemon juice – 4 tsp
• Salt – to taste

Procedure

• Clean the chicken pieces with water and set aside in a colander so that the excess water drains.
• Marinate the chicken with curd for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. More the marination, juicier and tender the chicken will be.
• Soak the rice with enough water for 30 mins. Then drain all the excess water in a sieve.
• Chop and prepare all the ingredients.
• Heat a heavy bottomed non-stick or stainless steel pan. I prefer using a 5 ltr pressure cooker pan.
• Add ghee and oil and let it warm up.
• Once it is hot, add in the whole spices.
• Add onion and saute till translucent.
• Add in the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off.
• Add in tomatoes and slit green chillies and cook closed in medium flame till mushy. Add 1/2 tsp salt in this stage.
• Add in the mint and coriander leaves. Mix well for 10 seconds.
• Add in the marinated chicken and mix well till all the vegetables are coated well. The chicken should leave some water.
• Add in chilly powder and garam masala.
• Mix well and cook closed in medium flame for 15 mins or till the chicken is done.
• No extra water is required to cook chicken as it will cook in its own juice.
• While the chicken is cooking, boil 4 cups of water in another burner. This speeds up the process.
• Once the chicken is done, add in the boiling water carefully.
• Add in the drained rice.
• Add in 1.5 tsp salt.
• Check for taste. The water should be seasoned well to ensure flavorful biryani.
• Once rice is added, close with a lid and simmer. Mix every 3 mins and close the pan. Add in the lemon juice and give a quick mix.
• This method ensures that the rice cooks evenly and does not burn at the bottom.
• Repeat the process till all the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy.
• Once done, close the pot with a lid and remove from the burner and keep a pot of cold water on top of the lid. This is dum process and results giving a good taste and an grainy consistency.
• Serve hot with some onion-cucumber raitha and Chicken 65.

Notes

• Seeraga samba rice can be replaced with basmati rice. Rice and water ratio is 1:1.5.
• Ensure cooking in medium flame and follow the steps with patience. Saute all the ingredients well to ensure there is no raw smell.
• This biryani tastes yummy even the next day.
• Reduce the quantity of green chillies if concerned about the spice level.