Name: Jaipur-Style Spicy Chicken Biryani
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 600 g chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in (cut into curry pieces); 400 g basmati rice (soaked 30 minutes, drained); 250 g plain yogurt (whisked); 3 piece onions, thinly sliced (for frying); 4 piece green chillies (slit, plus extra to taste); 6 clove garlic (crushed to paste); 1 tbsp ginger (crushed to paste); 2 piece ripe tomatoes (finely chopped); 3 tbsp ghee; 3 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying onions); 2 tsp red chilli powder (Rajasthani mathania chilli preferred, adjust to taste); 1 tsp turmeric; 2 tsp biryani masala (or garam masala); 1 tsp cumin seeds; 6 piece green cardamom pods (lightly crushed); 2 piece black cardamom pods (crushed); 1 piece cinnamon stick (5cm piece); 4 piece cloves; 2 piece bay leaves; 1 piece star anise; 0.5 tsp saffron strands (soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk); 3 tbsp fresh mint leaves (roughly torn); 3 tbsp fresh coriander leaves (roughly chopped); 2 tbsp lemon juice; g salt (to taste)

Method

Marinate the chicken

In a large bowl, mix the chicken with yogurt, half the ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp red chilli powder, turmeric, and salt; cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Marinate overnight in the fridge for deeper flavour and tenderer meat.

30 min

Fry the onions

Heat oil in a wide pan and fry the sliced onions over medium heat, stirring often, until deep golden brown and crisp.

Fry in small batches so they crisp evenly instead of steaming.

10 min

Drain the onions

Remove the fried onions with a slotted spoon onto paper towels and set aside, keeping the flavoured oil in the pan.

Toast whole spices

In the same pan, add ghee and toast the cumin seeds, green and black cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and star anise until fragrant.

1 min

Cook the masala base

Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and slit green chillies, sauté briefly, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down into a thick paste.

5 min

Sear the marinated chicken

Add the marinated chicken to the masala and cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is well coated and starts to release fat.

5 min

Simmer the chicken curry

Stir in the remaining red chilli powder and biryani masala, then cover and simmer until the chicken is nearly cooked through and the gravy is thick.

The gravy should be thick and clinging, not watery, since the rice will finish cooking with it.

15 min

Parboil the rice

In a separate large pot, bring plenty of salted water to a boil and cook the soaked basmati rice until it is about 70% cooked, still firm at the core.

Add a bay leaf and a cardamom pod to the boiling water for extra fragrance.

6 min

Drain the rice

Drain the parboiled rice immediately in a colander and set aside.

Layer the biryani

Spread the chicken masala evenly across the base of a heavy pot, then layer the parboiled rice on top in an even mound.

Add finishing touches

Scatter the fried onions, torn mint, chopped coriander, saffron milk and lemon juice evenly over the top layer of rice.

Dum cook the biryani

Cover the pot tightly with a lid (sealing the edge with dough or foil if needed) and cook on very low heat to let the biryani steam through.

Place a heavy tawa under the pot to diffuse heat and prevent the bottom from scorching.

25 min

Rest before serving

Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest undisturbed for 10 minutes before opening the lid.

10 min

Fluff and serve

Gently fluff the biryani with a fork from the sides to mix the layers slightly, then serve hot with raita.

Jaipur-Style Spicy Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

Method

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