Chicken Biryani

Biriyani's are a great one-dish meal and a favourite of all. Here is an easy pressure cooker version of the popular dish.

The ratio of chicken and rice is 1 kg : 1 kg. this easily serves around 8 people.

Ingredients:

Chicken (washed and cut into med. sized pieces) : (around 8-10 pieces)

rice (Basmati or Jeerakashala/Jeerakachemba) : 2 cups

water : 4 cups

onions chopped : 2 med

tomatoes chopped : 3 med

green chillies (whole) : 4

shallots (optional) : 1/2 cup

garlic : 6 flakes

ginger : 2 inch piece

cloves : 5

cinnamon : 3

cardamom (elaichi) : 4

chilly powder : 2 tsp

corriander powder : 2 tsp

turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp

garam masala : 1 tsp

salt to taste

cooking oil : 5 - 7 Tbsp

Ghee : 2 tbsp

corriander leaves chopped : 1/2 cup

mint leaves chopped : 1/2 cup

juice of 1/2 a lemon (removes the stickyness of rice)

Method

wash, and soak the rice for around 20 minutes. drain and keep aside.

cursh the garlic and shallots(small onion) and keep aside.

make a paste of ginger, clove, cardamom, and cinnamon, and keep aside.

wash the chicken pieces and keep aside.

Heat oil directly on the pressure cooker and saute the chopped onions till they turn soft. add the crushed garlic-shallot mixture and fry further for around 2 minutes. Now add the ginger-spices paste and fry till it becomes light brown. add the chopped tomatoes and fry further till the mixture turns sloppy.

to this add the chicken pieces, chilly powder, turmeric powder, corriander powder, and salt. keep frying for a while till the chicken pieces are properly coated with the masala. to this, add the water and wait till it boils.

now you can add the drained rice, corriander and mint leaves and ghee. squeeze half a lemon over this mixture, and close the cooker. you should not put the weight.

after steam comes thickly through the vent, put the weight, and wait for 15 seconds. switch off the flame and let it stand undisturbed for atleast an hour!

Your tasty chicken biryani is ready to be eaten... You may garnish it with fresh corriander leaves or fried onions and nuts if you desire. This goes well with a plain onion raita and crispy papadums.