CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI

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Chicken biryani is a rich, aromatic rice dish where tender pieces of chicken are cooked with fragrant basmati rice, warm spices and caramelized onions. It is usually served with ONION RAITA and CHICKEN SALNA/BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI. There are so many different methods to make chicken biryani.

Dum biryani is one of the commercially used method to make biryani. This recipe is a typical Chennai style, chicken dum biryani. Chennai style dum biryani is made with basmati rice. Also, very few spices are added to it. It is less fragrant, but has a deep masala flavour and a comforting South Indian touch to it.

Restaurants and caterers in Chennai, mostly use 2 methods to make biryani : Dum biryani or Vadi biryani. Dum biryani is a single step process, where soaked rice is directly added to the gravy and slow-cooked until completely done. Whereas, vadi biryani is a 2-step process. The rice is cooked separately until 80% done. The rice is then filtered and layered on top of the gravy and slow-cooked until it is completely cooked through.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

Only whole spices are generally used for this recipe. But, I usually divide the spices into two portions, and blend one portion to a fine/coarse powder. Adding this to the biryani gives a little extra flavour.

Also, I usually marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, which is completely optional. Marinating the chicken might make it more tender and juicy.

I’ve used 1 kg of rice and 1.5 kg of chicken for this recipe. This recipe serves 8. Adjust the amount of ingredients according to your preference.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI:

FOR CHICKEN MARINATION(OPTIONAL):

• CHILLY POWDER – 1 TSP
• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED

FOR BLENDING:

• CINNAMON – 2 INCH
• CLOVES – 5 NOS.
• CARDAMOM – 5 NOS.

MAIN INGREDIENTS:

• BASMATI RICE – 1 KG
• CHICKEN – 1.5 KG
• ONIONS (MEDIUM SIZE/THINLY SLICED) – 5 NOS.
• TOMATO (MEDIUM SIZE/THINLY SLICED) – 1 NO.
• MINT LEAVES – 1 CUP
• CORIANDER LEAVES – 1 CUP
• CHILLY POWDER – 2 TBSP
• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1.5 TBSP
• BLENDED MASALA – 1 TBSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• CURD – 1/2 CUP
• GREEN CHILLIES (MEDIUM SPICY) – 3 NOS.
• LEMON (MEDIUM SIZE) – 1 NO.
• CINNAMON – 2 INCH
• CLOVES – 5 NOS.
• CARDAMOM – 5 NOS.
• OIL – 1/4 CUP
• GHEE – 2 TBSP

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI:

• Clean and wash the chicken, and add it to a large mixing bowl.

• Add 1 tsp of chilly powder, 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste and salt to it.

• Mix everything well. Cover it and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.

• Wash and soak the basmati rice, while you start to cook.

• Add 2 inch cinnamon, 5 cloves and 5 cardamom to a blender and blend it.

*Add little extra or add the chilly powder to it, if you can’t blend it. If you added extra spices, store it in an airtight container. It can be stored at room temperature for about 3 months.

• Heat a cooking pot, and add 1/4 cup of oil and 2 tbsp of ghee to it.

• Once the ghee starts to melt, add the whole spices to it.

• When the whole spices added start to splatter, add the sliced onions to it. Also, add the salt to it.

*Add salt only to the onions and rice. Marination for the chicken has salt to it.

• Mix it well and saute the onions, until it turns translucent.

• Once it turns translucent, add the green chillies to it.

• Mix it and let it cook until the onions turn light golden brown in color.

• Once it turns light golden brown in color, add the ginger garlic paste to it. Saute it. The oil will start to separate.

• At this stage, turn the flame to medium-low, and add the chilly powder and the blended spices to it.

• Mix everything well. Let it cook until the oil start to seperate.

• Once the oil starts to separate, add the sliced tomatoes to it.

• Mix it well. Cook it until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. It takes around 2 to 3 minutes on medium-low flame.

• Then, add curd, mint leaves and coriander leaves to it.

• Mix everything well. The mint leaves and the coriander leaves added, shrinks and the oil will start to ooze out. This takes around 2 to 3 minutes on medium-low flame.

• Once the oil start to ooze out, add the marinated chicken to it.

• Add 7.5 cups of water to it and mix it well. To 1 cup of rice, I’ve added 1.5 cups of water. Since, I used 5 cups (1 kg) of rice, I’ve added 7.5 cups of water.

• Turn the flame to medium-high. Let it come to boil.

• Once it starts to boil, filter the water and add the rice to it.

• Mix it gently. Do not break the rice. Also, add the lemon juice to it.

• Let it cook until the water thickens, and the added rice is visible. At this stage, place a tawa on the bottom of the pot. Cover it with a lid and place any heavy weight on top of it.

• Turn the flame to medium-low and let it cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn off the flame. Wait for 10 to 15 minutes and then open it.

• Add a teaspoon of ghee on top (optional). Mix it gently, without breaking the rice.

YUMMY AND DELICIOUS CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI IS READY.

SERVE IT HOT WITH ONION RAITA, CHICKEN SALNA OR BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI.

I HAD CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI WITH ONION RAITA AND SPICY FRIED CHICKEN.

VARIATIONS:

• Adding blended spice mixture is optional. It is added to enhance the flavour of the biryani. It can be avoided, if you prefer mild flavours.
• Spiciness can be adjusted according to our taste.
• Green chillies can be avoided, if you find it too spicy.
• Adding ghee is completely optional. It won’t alter the taste of the biryani.

PRO TIPS:

• Use good quality basmati rice.
• Rice has to be soaked at least for 30 minutes. Soaking the rice while starting to cook will be perfect.
• Add little extra whole spices or add the chilly powder to the blender, if you can’t blend the whole spices. If you added extra spices, store the extra spice mixture in an airtight container. It can be stored at room temperature for about 3 months.
• Add 1.5 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. Do not add more or less. The rice can turn mushy with too much of water, and can be undercooked with less water.
• Do not open the lid immediately after turning off the flame. Let it rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes.