¼tspSaffron Strandsdry pan fried till fragrant (optional step)
60mlMilkslightly warmed
Chicken Marinade
125mlOilfor deep frying onions
4largeOnionsSliced into half rounds
4Chicken Thighs Skinless
4Chicken DrumsticksSkinless
170gPlain Yoghurt
1tbspGinger Paste
1tbspGarlic crushed
1tspGreen Chilli PasteOptional
1tspRed Chilli Powder
½tspTurmeric Powder
1tspCoriander Powder
1tspCumin Powder
1tbspGaram Masala Powder
1tspSalt
½tspGround Black Pepper
Rice
560mlWater2 ¼ Cup
¾tspSalt
2tbspOil
2Black Cardamom
3Green Cardamomslightly bashed open
4Cloves
2Bay Leaves
1smallCinnamon Stick
420gBasmati Rice2 cups
Assembly
HandfulFresh Corianderchopped finely
2tbspMint Leaveschopped finely
3tbspGhee
½tspRed or Orange Biryani Colouringmix with a little water if you like
Instructions
Saffron Milk
Soak Saffron in Milk and set aside. I like to warm the Saffron a little and then crumble it into milk. This is an optional step but I think it makes it more fragrant.
Chicken Marinade
Heat oil in a deep pan and add sliced onions. Fry until dark brown. Drain in a fine mesh strainer to get rid of excess oil.
Marinade Chicken thighs and drumsticks in Yoghurt, Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilli, Red Chilli, Turmeric, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Garam Masala, Salt, Pepper and 1/3 of the fried Onions.
Rice
Bring water to a boil and add Salt, Oil and Black Cardamom, Green Cardamom, Cloves, Bay Leaves and Cinnamon Stick.
Add the Rice and boil for 5 - 6 minutes. Drain and remove to a flat dish or pot to cool.
Assembly
Add Chicken to the bottom of the pot that you boiled the rice in.
Add a layer of Coriander, Mint and Onions on top.
Add Rice and 1/2 the Lemon.
Repeat layers till everything is used up.
Add some Ghee on top, along with the Saffron Milk, remaining lemon and Colouring if using.
Cover with 2 layers of foil and bake at GM 4/180 C for 1 hour.
Notes
TOP TIPS AND FAQ'S
Stove top cooking - When cooking on the stove, I tend to place the pot on a flat tawa or griddle. This is to help the heat to distribute evenly.
What Rice to use– I use long grain, aged Basmati rice in this recipe. I use Tilda or Mustafa rice. It is less likely to clump together. Long grain aged Basmati rice is the best option for Biryani recipes.Caramelising onions – means you get the most deliciously sweet flavour out of them but keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn and drain them on kitchen paper.Pre soak the rice – If time permits, you should always soak your rice for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. Soaking the rice removes excess starch, reduces cooking time and makes for a more fluffy overall dish. If you do not have time to soak the rice, then just thoroughly rinse the rice before adding it to the pot. Please note that this will change cooking times and quantity of water needed too. Presoaked rice grains require less water for cooking as compared to rice grains which are not soaked.Biryani Masala- You can also used boxed Biryani Masala in this recipe and add it to the Chicken.Add the right amount of water – It is really easy to add too much water to rice. So make sure that you do not add too much, especially if you have pre-soaked the rice. For the most part, the rice to water ratio in all recipes requires a ratio of 1:2. However, this ratio can vary depending on the type of rice used or the cooking method used. This also changes when it comes to Biryani because the rice is par boiled and drained before the final steam. This stage takes no longer then 7 - 8 minutes max. There are some varieties of Basmati rice that come parboiled. They will need less water then a regular Basmati Rice. Stick to the quantities mentioned in the recipe if you are using regular Basmati.
What to do if you forget to add Salt- On many occasions over the years, I have forgotten to add Salt to rice. In fact I forgot to add Salt to the Rice I made when my inlaws were coming around for the first time. This is what my father in law taught me.. He said, add the salt to 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer. Use the bottom of a spoon to create holes in the surface of the rice and pour the water in. Cook on low for 10 - 15 minutes. It works..every time.
Reheating and Storage for Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
This Biryani lasts covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Rice must be piping hot when reheated.