HYDERABADI CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI

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Hyderabadi biryani is one of India’s most iconic and flavourful rice dishes, originating from the historic city of Hyderabad. It reflects a rich blend of Mughal and regional culinary traditions, and is usually served with salan (gravy-based curry) and ONION RAITA.

Hyderabadi biryani is known for its aromatic basmati rice, tender meat (usually chicken or mutton), and a perfect balance of spices. What truly sets it apart is its unique cooking method called “dum” – where the dish is slow-cooked in a sealed pot, allowing the flavours to infuse deeply.

There are 2 different ways to make Hyderabadi dum biryani. The most popular and traditional method is known as Kachchi (raw) biryani, where raw marinated meat is layered with partially cooked rice and then cooked together on dum. Whereas, the other method is Pakki (cooked) biryani, where the meat is cooked separately first, then layered with rice and finished on dum.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

I’ve made this recipe using the traditional method (Kachchi biryani). For this method, the chicken has to be marinated in a mixture of yogurt, finely chopped mint and coriander leaves, fried onions and few other spices. The ideal marination time for the chicken is at least 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Marinating overnight is the best, as the spices used for marination penetrate deeply and the meat becomes tender and juicy.

I’ve used 1 kg of basmati rice and 1.5 kg of chicken for this recipe. This recipe serves 7~8.

INGREDIENTS FOR HYDERABADI CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI:

FOR GINGER, GARLIC AND GREEN CHILLY PASTE:

• GINGER (PEELED) – 2 INCH
• GARLIC (PEELED) – 10 NOS.
• GREEN CHILLIES – 2 NOS.

FOR THE MASALA:

• SHAHJEERA – 1 TSP
• CINNAMON – 2 INCH
• CLOVES – 5 NOS.
• CARDAMON – 5 NOS.

FOR MARINATION:

• CHICKEN – 1.5 KG
• GINGER, GARLIC AND GREEN CHILLY PASTE – 2 TBSP
• MINT LEAVES (CHOPPED) – 1/4 CUP
• CORIANDER LEAVES (CHOPPED) – 1/4 CUP
• FRIED ONIONS – 1/4 CUP
• CURD – 1/2 CUP
• NEUTRAL OIL – 1/2 CUP
• CHILLY POWDER – 3 TBSP
• GROUND MASALA – 2 TBSP
• LEMON JUICE – 1 TBSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED

FOR COOKING RICE:

• BASMATI RICE – 1 KG
• MINT LEAVES (CHOPPED) – 1/4 CUP
• CORIANDER LEAVES (CHOPPED) – 1/4 CUP
• NEUTRAL OIL – 1 TBSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• LEMON – 1/2 NO.
• GREEN CHILLIES – 2 NOS.
• CINNAMON – 1 INCH
• CLOVES – 3~4 NOS.
• CARDAMOM – 3~4 NOS.
• SHAHJEERA – 1/2 TSP

FOR LAYERING BIRYANI:

• MARINATED CHICKEN
• COOKED RICE
• FRIED ONIONS – 1 CUP
• MILK – 1/4 CUP
• ORANGE FOOD COLOR – 5~6 DROPS
• KEWRA WATER – 1 TSP
• MINT LEAVES (CHOPPED) – 1/4 CUP
• CORIANDER LEAVES (CHOPPED) – 1/4 CUP

PRE-PREPARATION TO MAKE HYDERABADI CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI:

• Add 1 tsp of shahjeera, 2 inch piece of cinnamon, 5 cloves and 5 cardamom to a dry blender, and blend them to a fine powder.
• Add 2 inch piece of ginger, 10 garlic cloves and 3 green chillies to a blender, and blend them to a fine paste.
• Cut 4~5 medium size onions into half, and finely slice them along its length. Heat 2 cups of oil, and fry them until they turn brown.

HOW TO MARINATE THE CHICKEN FOR HYDERABADI CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI:

• Clean and wash the chicken thoroughly with water, and add them to a large mixing bowl.

• Add 2 tbsp of ginger, garlic and green chilly paste, 1/4 cup of chopped mint and coriander leaves, 1/4 cup of fried onions, 1/2 cup of curd, 1/2 cup of oil, 3 tbsp of chilly powder, 2 tbsp of ground masala, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and salt to it.

• Mix everything well. Make sure all the chicken pieces are well-coated in the masala. Cover it and keep it in the refrigerator. Let it rest overnight.

HOW TO MAKE HYDERABADI CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI:

• Wash and soak 1 kg of basmati in water for 30 minutes before cooking.

• After 30 minutes, add around 3 liters of water in a cooking pot along with 1/4 cup of chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves, 1 tbsp of oil, 1/2 lemon, 2 slit green chillies, 4 cloves, 4 cardamom, 1 inch piece of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp shahjeera and salt. Squeeze the lemon juice in water then and add the lemon rind to it.
• Turn on the flame and place the cooking pot on the stove. Maintain the flame at medium-high.

• Once the water starts to boil, turn the flame to medium-low. Filter the water and add the soaked rice to it. Let the rice cooks upto 75%. The rice should double in size.

• Meanwhile, remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator, and add them to a separate cooking pot or biryani pot. The chicken must be levelled to the bottom of the biryani pot. This helps the chicken to cook evenly.

• Also, add 5 to 6 drops of orange food color to 1/4 cup of milk and keep it aside.
• Once the rice is cooked to 75%, turn off the flame.

• Add 1/2 cup of the boiled water to the chicken in the biryani pot.

• Then layer the cooked rice onto the marinated chicken in the biryani pot. Add one layer of boiled rice, followed by 2 tbsp of fried onions and 2 tbsp of chopped mint and coriander leaves.Then, add another layer repeating the same process.

• Add the final layer of the boiled rice on top. Add 2 tbsp of fried onions, 2 tbsp of chopped mint and coriander leaves along with the food color added milk. Also, add 1 tsp of kewra water on top of it.

• First cover the biryani pot with an aluminium foil, and then cover it with the lid.

• Turn on the flame. Place a tawa on the stove and then place the biryani pot on top of the tawa. Also, add some heavy weight on top of the biryani pot.

• Cook it on medium-high flame for 5 minutes. Then turn the flame to medium-low, and cook it for another 20 minutes. After around 25 minutes, turn off the flame. Do not open it immediately. Wait for 20 to 30 minutes, and then open it.

• Mix it gently without breaking the rice.

YUMMY AND DELICIOUS HYDERABADI CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI IS READY.

SERVE IT HOT WITH YOUR FAVOURITE SALAN AND RAITA.

I HAD HYDERABADI CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI WITH MIRCHI KA SALAN, ONION RAITA AND BOILED EGG.

VARIATIONS:

• Any neutral oil can be used for marination and cooking rice.
• Orange food color or yellow food color or both colors can also be used.
• Food colors can be replaced with saffron. Using saffron gives a mild orange color to the recipe, unlike the one from the restaurants.
• Milk can also be replaced with water.
• This recipe has a medium spicy level. The spiciness can be altered according to our preference.
• 1.5 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and 1/2 tbsp of green chilly paste can be added instead of 2 tbsp of ginger, garlic and green chilly paste.

PRO TIPS:

• Make sure all the chicken pieces are well coated in the mixture.
• The ideal marination time must be at least 6 to 8 hours.
• The taste and flavour of biryani mainly depends on the type of basmati rice used. Good quality aged basmati rice is well-suited for this recipe.
• Soak the basmati rice for at least 30 minutes for a perfect texture.
• Squeeze the lemon juice in water then and add the lemon rind to it.
• The rice should be cooked upto 75% or until it doubles in size.
• Do not add the rice in a single layer. Add at least 2 or 3 layer. Layering rice with mint leaves, coriander leaves and fried onions enhances the flavour of each and every rice in the biryani.
• The flavour of the typical Hyderabadi biryani comes from the kewra water added on top of the biryani.
• Cover the biryani pot with an aluminium foil and place a tight lid over it. Sealing the pot tightly helps to infuse the flavours deeply into the biryani.
• Place a tawa under the biryani pot. Direct heat to the biryani pot might burn the chicken and rice.
• Cook it for 5 minutes on medium-high flame and then turn the flame to medium-low and cook it for another 20 minutes. Cooking it for a long time might make the rice mushy. Chicken might be undercooked when it is not cooked for the specific time duration.
• Do not open the biryani pot immediately. Wait for 20-30 minutes, and then open it.