I have cooked Biriyani many a times but I tried cooking the Muslim/Moghul way. I had infact forgotten the taste of South Tamizh Nadu Biriyani like the ones you get in Ponnuswamy and other military hotels in Madras.
Two weeks back I visited a family in Nashville ( Raj and Madhu) . They were from Sankarankovil/Thoothukudi. They made awesome food and the best was the Biriyani. I had really been reminded of the proper south taste after 3 long years.
I asked Madhu akka to write down the recipe and email it to me. I am posting this recipe and give all the credit to her. I had tried it and it was really tasty. The photo of the biriyani is from what I had cooked.
Now let's(note it's not lets) go to the recipe part :
Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 4 cups(rice cooker cup)
chicken - 3/4 of a whole chicken (get it cut into pieces from Publix)
onion - 1 ( medium size)
tomato - 2 (medium size)
green chilli - 12 ( Yes these many are really required)
ginger -3/4 of ur index finger
whole garlic - one (not one pod but 1 whole)
cinnamon, cloves, star anise, fennel seed - all together 1/4 cup
cashews - 8 whole
cilantro - 1/2 bundle
mint - 1/2 bundle
coconut milk - 3/4 tin
butter - 2 sticks
oil - 3 tsp
salt - to taste
turmeric powder - 2 tsp
( i preferably make the briyani in an electric rice cooker so u don't have to worry about the rice getting over cooked. if u use a pressure cooker just wait till it is about to whistle and turn off the stove and wait till the steam goes before opening.)
procedure:
1. slice onion long and thin. cut tomatoes. cut chicken to desired size an clean it.
2. Grind green chilli, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, fennel seed, cashews, cilantro, mint without adding water to a smooth paste.
3. Place the rice cooker container(the inside one) directly on the stove top and heat butter. then fry onion & tomatoes well.
4. Add the cleaned chicken & fry for about 8 mins or till it turns a little white.
5. Add turmeric powder, salt to match the chicken, and the ground paste (made in point # 2). pour 3 tsps oil, mix it well and close it with a lid.
6. Stir frequently. Let the chicken cook for about 18 mins.
7. Meanwhile clean the rice, keep it ready.
8. when the chicken is almost cooked, drain the water/curry (you can call it as stock too) to another container. it should be really oilly. now add 3/4 tin of coconut milk to the stock. measure the stock + coconut milk using the rice cooker cup. if the mixture is 4 cups add 2.5 cups of water to it (make it all together 6.5 cups).
9. pour the mixture back into the chicken & finally add the rice too. Add salt to the taste (remember some salt is added already in the step 5). put the container back in the rice cooker & let it cook.
10. Once it is done, mix it well. it might look like it still needs to be cooked but it will be fine if u leave it for 15 mins in the rice cooker before serving.
yummy chicken biriyani is ready now.
