Punjabi Style Chicken Biryani

Biryani is the most favorite dish among we Indians. There are many versions of it. Here, lets see the making of Punjabi version of chicken biryani and taste it.

Ingredients

  • Chicken – 1/2 kg
  • Basmati Rice – 1/2 kg
  • Red chilli – 3
  • Pepper – 1/4 tablespoon
  • Coriander – 1/2 tablespoon
  • Cumin – 1/4 tablespoon
  • Anise – 1/4 tablespoon
  • Star anise – little pinch
  • Javitri – few
  • Bay leaf – 5
  • Cardamom- 3
  • Clove – 3
  • Cinnamon – 3
  • Salt – 2 1/2 tablespoon
  • Chilli powder – 1/2 tablespoon
  • Ginger garlic paste – 3 tablespoon
  • Curd – 100 ml
  • Tomato – 1
  • Oil – 150 ml
  • Onion – 2
  • Mint leaves – few
  • Coriander leaves – few
  • Potato – 150 grams
  • Water – 2 litre
  • Lemon – 1

Things to be done before we start cooking

  • Rinse 1/2 kg of basmati rice softly in clean water. Repeat it again to clean it fully and then soak it in a bowl with fresh water. Let the rice soak in water for 1 hour – Keep it aside.
  • Grind together 100 grams of ginger and garlic using a mixer jar – to obtain the required ‘ginger-garlic paste’ – keep it aside in a small bowl.
  • Tomato – 1 (medium sized – chop it into small pieces)
  • Onion – 2 medium sized – chopped into small pieces.
  • Potato – 3 medium sized (or 150 grams) – chop into medium sized pieces.
  • Keep the cut potato pieces in a bowl with water – to avoid discoloration.

Steps to Prepare

  • Take a mixer jar – then add the below into it –
    • Red chilli – 3
    • Pepper – 1/4 tablespoon
    • Coriander – 1/2 tablespoon
    • Cumin – 1/4 tablespoon
    • Anise – 1/4 tablespoon
    • Javitri – few (2 or 3)
    • Star Anise – 1/4 of one star
    • Clove – 3
    • Cardamom – 3
    • Cinnamon – 3 (small pieces)
  • Run the mixer machine – grind all the contents to a coarse powder and transfer them to a small bowl.
  • Take a big bowl – then add the below into it
    • Chicken – 1/2 kg
    • Masala prepared in ‘step: 1’
    • Salt – 1/2 tablespoon
    • Turmeric powder – 1/4 tablespoon
    • Kashmiri Chilli powder – 1/2 tablespoon
    • Curd – 100 ml
    • Ginger-garlic paste – 3 tablespoons
    • Tomato – 1 (1 medium sized – chopped into small pieces)
    • Mix them well using a spoon.
  • Leave the chicken to marinate in the masala mix for 30 to 45 minutes.
  • Place a pan on the big burner – let the pan get a little hot.
  • Pour oil – 100 ml. Let the oil get hot – then turn the flame to LOW mode. Then, add the onions (2 medium sized – chopped) to the hot oil. Start stirring it till onions fry to a golden brown colour.
  • Remove 75% of the fried onions to another bowl – keep it aside. The remaining 25% of fried onions will remain in the pan itself.
  • Put the below into the pan carrying 25% of fried onions –
    • Chicken pieces marinated in masala mix
    • Coriander leaves – few
    • Mint leaves – few
    • Green chilli – 3 (Chop into small pieces)
    • Potato – 3 (3 medium sized potatoes & chopped to medium sized pieces)
    • Stir well.
  • Close the pan with a lid. Keep the flame in LOW mode. Let the contents cook in low flame for next 20 minutes.
  • After 20 minutes, remove the lid.
    • Keep flame in high mode. Put 1 bay leaf.
    • Let the water evaporate in high flame for 2 minutes. We will get a concentrated masala now.
    • Keep the pan aside for now.
  • Place another 3-litre vessel on the big burner.
    • Pour water – 2 litres.
    • Bay leaf – 1 (big one)
    • Cardamom – 2
    • Cinnamon – 1
    • Lemon – cut half of the lemon into thin slices and add it to water after removing seeds.
    • Salt – 2 tablespoons
    • Close the vessel with a lid. Keep the flame in HIGH for the water to boil.
  • Once the water boils – we can see steam coming out of lid sides or from hole in top of lid. Remove the lid now. Add half kg of rice that has been soaked for 1 hour, to the boiling water.
  • Let the rice cook to 95%. Drain the water using a steel strainer.
  • Place another 3-litre vessel on the burner. Flame in high mode. Pour 3 tablespoons of oil and shake the vessel to spread it evenly over the surface of vessel.
  • Once the oil gets hot, turn the flame to low. Put in a little of chicken, potato and masala mix (from the pan). Spread it evenly over the surface.
  • Now,
    • put a little of boiled rice over the masala (use just 1/4 of the cooked rice now).
    • Place 3 thinly sliced tomatoes (take 2 medium sized tomatoes – and chop them to thin slices) over the rice. The remaining slices will be placed in later part.
    • Sprinkle a little of coriander and mint leaves all over the rice.
    • Now put a little of chicken, potato and masala gravy over the rice again.
    • Put another portion (1/4) of cooked rice over the chicken gravy.
    • Spread it evenly.
  • Pour a little of food colorant (orange or yellow) on the rice. Place another 3 slices of tomatoes on the rice. Sprinkle few of coriander and mint leaves.
  • In low flame continue –
    • Now, put the remaining chicken, potato and masala gravy over the rice.
    • Put the remaining portion of cooked rice over the chicken gravy.
    • Spread it evenly.
    • Pour a little of food colorant (orange or yellow) on the rice.
    • Sprinkle the fried onions over the rice.
  • Close the vessel with a lid – in Low flame let the contents get cooked for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove the lid after 10 minutes. Turn off the flame. Stir it from bottom to top.

Thus, our biryani is ready.

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