CHICKEN DUM BRIYANI

       

Briyani is something which is loved by all.At my home, we make sure atleast we take biriyani  once in a fortnight.I have failed many a times at attempting to make briyani.None of our sundays are complete without non-veg.So this sunday my kids wanted to have chicken briyani.You need to find that perfect method and recipe that works for you.i battled to get a proper briyani countless times and this one worked well for me.You all will be familiar with the biriyani which we get in shops and their aroma is just divine.You can prepare the biriyani with the same aroma at home, which is even more healthier.My kids just love biriyani served with hard boiled eggs and onion raitha.And for making the dum briyani, you need not have all those sophisticated big barrels at home.I will give you the easiest method of keeping the dum at home.Usually dum briyani is something where the rice and gravy is prepared separately and mixed or layered and then kept over medium flame and covered with aluminium foil or dough and then burning coal is placed on top of them.This coal gives that divine smoky flavour for the dumming process.You can opt for the coal method also which i have mentioned how to do it below in the instructions.

Ingredients:

• Chicken. -  1 kg
• Basmati Rice.       _   4 cups (750gms)
• Onions.   -      4 large
• Tomatoes. -  3 large
• Ginger.     -     2 inch piece
• Garlic.    -    5 cloves
• Green chillies. -   4
• Cardamom.   -    2
• Cloves - 4
• Javithri/maze. -  2
• Star anise. - 1
• Jeera.  -  2 teaspoons
• Bayleaf. -  2
• Turmeric powder. -  1 teaspoon
• Red chilli powder. -  2 teaspoons
• Mint leaves. -   1 cup finely chopped
• Coriander leaves. -  1 cup finely chopped
• Lemon juice.  -  2 tablespoons
• Curd.   -    4 tablespoons
• Ghee. -   4 tablespoons
• Oil. -   4 tablespoons
• salt to taste

Method:
1.Wash and soak basmati rice for half an hour.
2.grind together cardamom,cloves,jeera and 1 bayleaf to coarse powder.(if u want you can add them as whole..I don't like to get the bite of cardamom or cloves in my briyani.so I grinded them)
3.grind together ginger garlic and green chillies to a fine paste.
4.heat enough water for the rice in a vessel and let it boil.(the rice should be immersed well in the water.so add accordingly).add 1 tablespoon of ghee in the water.(this makes sure that the rice are separate when done).

5.let the rice cook half the way through.it should still have that crunch when you bite.when done drain the rice and keep aside.

6.heat the oil and 3 tablespoons of ghee in a pressure cooker.

7.temper the bayleaf, javithiri,star anise and the ground spice powders.

8.add onions and saute till golden brown.

9.Add the ginger garlic chilli paste and saute till raw smell leaves.

8.add the washed chicken pieces and saute till they turn slightly light in colour.

add the tomatoes and saute till mushy.

9.add the chilli and turmeric powders and saute for a min.

10.add the lemon juice and curd and mix well.

11..now add the mint and coriander leaves and fry for a min.

12.Add the required salt.mix well

13.Close the lid with the weight on.(need not add water as  the onions,tomatoes and chicken leaves enough water by now.if u feel there is no sufficient water ,add a little so that the water level is just covering the chicken.)

14.leave it till 3 whistles.

15.transfer the chicken gravy to another vessel.
i have made this kids friendly as it is less spicy.if you want you can add two teaspoons extra of red chilli powder.

FOR THE DUM PROCESS:

•  heat a iron tawa (like the traditional dosa tawa) over a medium flame.
• start layering the pressure cooker used for cooking chicken with chicken gravy and rice alternatively.The layers should be starting and ending with the chicken gravy.
• keep the cooker over the tawa.cover with a flat thick steel plate.
• place a vessel of boiling water on top of the lid over the pressure cooker.
• leave on the dum for 20 mins.
• open and stir the mix carefully so as not to break the rice and the chicken.
• garnish with coriander.
• serve with onion raitha and hard boiled eggs.
• you can check my recipe for onion raitha HERE

Cook's note:

1. Always make sure that the rice is only half cooked.it should have that crunch when layered.
2. for dum for process, you can alternatively add coal on top of the lid instead a vessel of boiling water.the option is yours.coal gives immense flavour for dum briyani.
3. you can always add extra colour if u want to have that red look for you briyani.i havent used any colour here .
4. you can sprinkle some red colour over the cooked rice and mix lightly to get that characteristic red rice you see here and there in the store bought briyani.