Introduction
Chicken dum biryani is a popular Indian dish, which has been eaten for centuries. It is typically made with basmati rice and marinated chicken pieces. The recipe for this traditional chicken biryani is easy and can be made in your kitchen easily.
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
1 kg boneless chicken, cut into pieces
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) or oil
1 cup onion, chopped finely
3-4 green chillies, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic grated or crushed to a paste in the mortar and pestle.
1 tsp ginger paste without seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves (screwpine leaves) chopped finely
For marinating the chicken and onions
In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with the marinade. Using your fingers or a wooden spoon, gently massage the marinade into each piece of chicken and make sure they are evenly coated all over.
Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. If you have time to leave them in longer than that, go for it! This will give them more flavor as well as tenderize them.
In another bowl set aside about 1/4 cup oil for frying later on when making biryani rice later on in this recipe (or if you plan on using fresh parboiled basmati rice).
1 kg chicken pieces (with bones)
1 kg chicken pieces (with bones)
1 cup ghee or clarified butter (clarified butter is the best)
2 onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
3 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped finely
2 TSP red chilli powder
Red chilli powder is an essential ingredient in this recipe. This spice adds a spicy kick to the chicken and yogurt marinade, which results in a delicious biryani.
Marinate your chicken pieces with red chilli powder and salt for 30 minutes.
Roast the chicken pieces in a pan until they are fully cooked through (about 10-15 minutes). Make sure that you don't overcook them or else they will become dry!
1/2 TSP turmeric powder
Turmeric powder is an essential ingredient in many Indian dishes. It’s used to give the dish a yellow color, as well as add flavour. Turmeric comes from the root of the turmeric plant and it has been used for centuries in South Asia.
1/2 cup yogurt
Add yogurt to chicken and mix well.
Refrigerate for 2 hours, or marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours before cooking.
Chicken marinated in yogurt and spices
salt to taste
Salt is an important ingredient in this recipe, but don't overdo it. You can add more salt later if you think the dish needs it. Salt is also a preservative, so use it sparingly!
For the biryani
For the biryani
2 cups basmati rice (long grain)
1/2 tsp salt
3 bay leaves
For the masala paste:
Heat 4 tbsp ghee or oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida and methi seeds; fry for 20 seconds. Add cinnamon stick and cloves; fry until browned at medium heat for about 30 seconds. Stir in coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala; cook over low-medium flame until fragrant (about 1 minute). Remove from heat immediately before they burn because they will stick to your pot if you keep cooking them longer than that..
For the chicken: Add ghee or oil to a pan on medium-high heat; add ginger and garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt. Stir until fragrant.
4 tbsp ghee or oil
This recipe is a traditional Indian dish, so you might be wondering if it’s worth the extra cost and effort to use ghee or oil.
Ghee is a clarified butter that's commonly used in Indian cooking. It has a stronger flavor than other types of fat but can cause some health problems if you're not careful with how much you use. In this case, we're using vegetable oil because it's healthier (and cheaper) than ghee and still gives us the same rich flavor!
The only difference between veg oil and ghee is that ghee has a higher fat content (around 4% more), which may be why it tastes so good. If you're using ghee, make sure to use less than what the recipe calls for—you don't want your dish to become too fatty!
3 bay leaves
Bay leaves are used in biryani and rice dishes. They're not spicy, but they have a woody, piney flavor that adds depth to the dish. They're also used in soups and curries for their umami-rich broth base.
Cardamom pods are one of the most common ingredients in biryani. They're used for their flavor and aroma—they're not spicy, but they have a warm, earthy fragrance that contrasts nicely with the nutty basmati rice and spicy meat.
5-6 cloves
5-6 cloves
These are the dried flower buds of a tropical evergreen tree, and they have a very sweet and spicy flavour. They're used in both savoury and sweet dishes; for example, you can add them to curries or pickles, or sprinkle them over biryani.
Cloves are an essential ingredient in garam masala, a popular Indian spice mixture. They're also used to flavour curries and pickles, and you can even chew on them as a breath freshener!
3 green cardamoms
Cardamom is a spice that comes from the seeds of a plant that grows in the western part of India. Cardamom has been used in Indian cooking for centuries, and it's also used to make biryani. You can find cardamoms at your local grocery store or pharmacy, where they're usually sold as whole pods rather than ground up like cinnamon or nutmeg are (though if you don't have access to those options then go ahead and grind some yourself).
You'll want to add cardamom only after step 2 because otherwise its flavor will become too strong!
There are many different types of cardamom, but the most common one is green cardamom. Green cardamom pods look like little apples with a brownish outer layer, and they're usually sold whole or ground up into powder. The seeds inside are what give the spice its flavor and aroma—so if you see ground up green cardamom powder in a recipe then be sure to use it instead of whole pods!
1 star anise
1 star anise
A star anise is a spice that looks like a star, with a small hole in the center. It's used for flavoring and cooking many dishes, including dum biryani recipe. The flavor of each type of anise has different characteristics, but all have some kind of citrusy or peppery taste to them. You can also use 2-3 cloves: they're often used together with a mix of other spices like cinnamon sticks or black peppercorns (jalapenos).
Star anise is one of the most common spices used in Chinese cooking and in many Indian dishes. It's also commonly found in Moroccan cuisine, where it's used to flavor couscous and tagines. The spice is produced by drying the berry-like fruit of a tree native to China.
12 black peppercorns, slightly crushed and tied in a small muslin cloth (kalimirch)
You'll need a small muslin cloth, preferably one that has been used for cleaning clothes.
Crush the black peppercorns and place them in the cloth. Tie the top with a string so that it doesn't come off when you cook your biryani.
Place the cloth of crushed peppercorns in a pot and add water. Add salt, turmeric powder and cardamom powder to this mixture and bring it to a boil.
10 cashewnuts, halved (kaju)
Cashewnuts, also known as kaju, are a good source of protein, fibre and vitamins. They can be used to make a healthy snack or sweet dish.
Cashewnuts are available in the market during winter season at all times of the year but they get their best flavour when they’re roasted over charcoal or using an oven. You should keep cashew nuts in an airtight container to preserve their freshness for longer periods of time.
Cashew nuts are a great source of minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc and potassium. They also contain vitamin E that helps lower cholesterol levels in the body. The protein content of cashew nuts is high enough to make them an excellent snack for vegetarians.
2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes then drained (chawal)
2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes then drained (chawal)
Wash and soak the rice in water for about 30 minutes. Drain off the excess water and keep aside.
1.Heat a little oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. 2.Once the seeds start crackling, add onions and sauté until they turn translucent. 3.Add ginger garlic paste, green chillies and tomatoes to it and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
For frying the onions (birista) and yoghurt mixture (dahi)
In a large wok, heat oil and add the biryani masala. Add 1 tablespoon of water and curry leaves. Fry until aromatic and then add onions (birista). Stir well, then cover with a lid for 5 minutes. Then stir again, remove lid and add yoghurt mixture (dahi). Stir again until all ingredients are mixed together thoroughly then return to heat for another couple of minutes until hot but not too dry
3 large red onions, sliced finely and fried till brown in colour (birista)
To begin, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and fry until they turn brown in color (about 10 minutes). Make sure that you don't burn the onions or they will become bitter!
1 cup beaten curds (dahi) 1 tsp red chilli powder
1 cup beaten curds (dahi)
1 tsp red chilli powder
This is a recipe for making traditional chicken dum biryani at home.
This is a recipe for making traditional chicken dum biryani at home.
You can make this dish with any type of meat you like, but we have used chicken here because it's easy to find and affordable in most grocery stores. If you want to try something different, try cooking with beef instead!
Conclusion
I hope you like this easy recipe and found it helpful. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave a comment below.
