Dum chicken biryani

My special occasions will never complete without spicy & tasty dum chicken biryani. By marinating the chicken with little spices preferably overnight, makes it tender once cooked. This has to be cooked in low flame throughout. Hyderabadi dum chicken biryani will taste great with raita & kuruma.

Ingredients :

1. Chicken - 1 kg
2. Basmati rice - 2 cups
3. Oil - 3 tbsp
4. Butter - 1 tbsp
5. Cinnamon stick - 2 nos
6. Cloves - 6 nos
7. Bay leaf - 1 no
8. Star anise - 1 no
9. Fried onions - 1/4 cup
10. Onion - 2 nos
11. Tomatoes - 2 nos
12. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
13. Chilly powder - 3 tsp
14. Turmeri powder - 1/2 tsp
15. Corriander powder - 2 tsp
16. Garam masala - 1 tsp
17. Salt to taste
18. Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
19. Corriander leaves - 1/2 cup
20. Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Clean and cut the chicken. Marinate the chicken in chilly powder, turmeric powder, fried onions, lime juice & salt to taste.

2. Soak the rice in water for atleast one hour. Keep aside.

3. Heat butter in the heavy bottomed pan, add cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf, anise & finely chopped onions. Saute till golden brown & crispy.

4. Add ginger garlic paste, mint leaves, corriander leaves & finely chopped tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are soft.

5. Add the marinated chicken, corriander leaves, garam masala & salt to taste. Switch off the flame. Cook the chicken 1/4th done.

6. Meanwhile cook the rice 1/4th done.

7. Pour the oil in the heavy bottomed pan. Spread half the quantity of chicken masala (as the first layer )& half the quantity of rice as the second layer. Again spread the balance chicken masala & rice. Sprinkle the corriander leaves.

8. Seal the pan with aluminum foil & with the lid tightly ( making sure no pressure comes out). Cook the biryani for 30 min on low flame.

Serve with raita.