Chicken Biryani - Jean

Recipe by Jean Pereira (Caroline Dsouza)


Ingredients:
2 large onions
1 cup fresh mint leaves
handful of chopped coriander leaves 
1/4 cup ghee 

Chicken Marinade:
1 kg chicken 
¾ cup yogurt
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 
1 tbsp red chilli powder 
2 tbsp smoked paprika 
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder 
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp salt
1 large onion (fried in ghee till brown)

Rice:
2 cups basmati Rice  salt
1 bayleaf
5-6 cloves
3 cardamom pods
1 pc cinnamon 
1/2 tsp ghee

To garnish:
1 onion (fried in ghee till brown)
3 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp broken cashew nuts

Steps:
  1. Marinate chicken with yogurt, tomato paste, fried onion, oil, ginger garlic paste, dried mint, chili powder, turmeric, garam masala powder and salt. Set aside for 1-2 hours, preferably overnight. 
  2. Cook basmati rice with water, salt, bay leaves, cardamom and cloves. Fluff it up with a fork and set aside.
  3. In a vessel, heat ghee. Add the onions and shallow fry for 15 minutes till brown. Set aside. 
  4. Heat ghee. Add raisins and cashew nuts. Fry till golden brown. Set aside.
  5. In the same pan, heat ghee. Add the chicken pieces and cook well on both sides. Add coriander leaves,  mint leaves and half the the fried onions.
  6. Add the cooked rice, drizzle ghee and cook covered on low heat for 5 minutes. 
  7. Garnish with fried onions, raisins, cashew nuts and coriander leaves.
  8. Serve with raita. 
  9. ENJOY!