Some recipes are a case of throwing it all in a pan for an easy dinner (one pot chicken and pasta is brilliant on those busy week nights), but sometimes it’s almost meditative to take some time and put together a food creation that’s made with love and care.This biryani is one of those dishes (and yes, we do dirty a few dishes along the way…). Made of several layers, it goes into the pan like this:
Marinated chickenFresh herbsFragrantly spiced riceA little saffron-infused milkA good drizzle of melted gheeSome beautifully browned fried onionsAnd last but not least, a handful of toasted almonds.
This is a Hyderabadi biryani - using the dum method of cooking - which involves letting the ingredients in the dish ‘breathe’ in its own aroma to make it more flavourful. In this case the flavourful chicken at the bottom of the dish cooks and releases steam and aromas into the rice. One of the spices I do want to mention though is Asafoetida (<–affiliate link), also known as hing. This is a spice used in some Indian dishes. It adds a deeper savoury flavour, like onion or garlic to a dish. You only need a little - I use ¼ tsp (too much is overpowering). If you can’t get hold of any, or if you’re unlikely to use it for anything else, then don’t worry, it can be left out. There are plenty of spices already in the dish to give it a fantastic flavour.
Next we parboil the basmati rice in plenty of salted water and a few aromatics. Then drain it.We also fry off 2 sliced onions in oil until fragrant and dark brown.
Add the marinated chicken to a large cast-iron pan with a splash of water and cook for a few minutes to heat up the sauce and lightly seal the chicken.Sprinkle on chopped coriander (cilantro) and mint.Mix together a little saffron and milk and leave for a minute or two.Add the par-cooked rice to the pan on top of the chicken and drizzle over the saffron/milk mixture plus some melted ghee.Top the rice with the fried onions and toasted flaked onions. Wait until steams starts to rise from the pan, then place a lid on, lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle on some freshly chopped coriander (cilantro).
First, we marinate the chicken thighs in spices, natural yogurt, oil, ginger, garlic, tomato puree (paste) chopped chillies, salt and lemon juice. We want that to marinate for at least 2 hours for the best flavour.
When you scoop it out (be sure to scoop it right from the bottom to get all the layers) you should find the outside of the chicken that was touching the base of the pan is a tiny bit crisp. The interior should still be juicy though. Personally I think that slight crispness adds even more flavour.
Why use chicken thighs?
Chicken thighs can take the direct heat from sitting at the bottom of the pan without drying out.I prefer to use boneless and skinless chicken thighs, but you could use bone-in thighs if you prefer. Just cook the whole dish for about 5 minutes longer if you do.
Why are you adding salt to the rice?
A fair amount of the salt is drained off with the water from cooking the rice. The remaining salt really enhances the flavour of the whole dish. That salty taste mellows during the cooking with the chicken and disperses to flavour the rest of the ingredients.
More fantastic curry recipes
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