Chicken Dum Biryani Recipe

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1k.g/2.2lb
• Basmati Rice - 1k.g/2.2lb
• Onions - 6 medium sized (long thinly sliced)
• Tomato - 6 medium sized (chopped)
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1 cup or 6-8 tablespoons
• Mint (Pudina) - 1 bunch
• Coriander (Cilantro) - 1/2 bunch
• Green Chili - 6 nos (Whole)
• Lemon - 1 medium sized
• Red Chili powder - 1 1/2 tablespoon
• Oil - 250ml
• Curd or yogurt - 1 to 1 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Bay leaves (Biryani leaf) - 1
• Cinnamon (Patta) - 6 nos
• Cloves (Lavang) - 8 nos
• Cardamom (Elaichi) - 4 nos
• Salt - 3 tablespoons (Powdered) or 2 handful (rock salt)

Method:

Biryani Masala:

• In a heavy bottomed deep pan, heat the oil on medium heat.
• Add bay leaves, 3 cinnamon, 4 cloves, 2 cardamom, 6 chillies and onions.
• Fry the onions until golden brown.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw pungent smell of the paste leaves.
• Keep aside a hand full of Mint and add the rest to the pan. At this stage add the coriander as well. Fry for 5-10 minutes until you get a nice aroma.
• Now add the chicken and mix the content of the pan thoroughly.
• Add turmeric powder and 1 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes to the pan and cook until it gets soft and mushy.
• Now is the time for curd (yogurt) and chili powder.
• Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes until you see some oil floating on the top.
• At this stage remove the pan from the heat.
• Now empty nearly 3/4 of the pan contents into a separate container and set it aside.

Rice Preparation:

• Soak the basmati rice in cold water for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile take a large container with sufficient water. Bring it to boil.
• When boiling add the remaining mint, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom.
• Now drain all the water from the soaked rice and add it to the container. Add 1 1/2 tablespoon salt.
• Cook the rice until it is 3/4 done.
• Now take the container off the heat and drain the remaining water from the rice.

Layering the Biryani and Dum cooking

• In the same pan where you had 1/4 of the biryani gravy, add a layer of cooked rice. 
• Then add another layer of the biryani gravy (that was keep aside in a seperate container) and top it with rice. 
• Repeat until all the rice and biryani gravy is layered. Also squeeze or add a little bit of lemon juice on every layer during the layering process.