Hyderabadi Kachchay Gosht ki Biryani- Boneless Chicken

As a child I lived in a metro city of Karachi, where food is diversified in terms of regions. I ate lots of hyderabadi food ranging from achchar to baghar e baigan, to mirchon ka salan, biryani and qubani ka metha. I have also travelled to hyderabad, India twice in my life and I loved the food there.

This winter when I went to India, I bought few cooking books and this recipe is from the Book called Taste of Hyderabad- Non Veg.

The original recipe uses lamb, but we don't eat lamb so I used to chicken instead.

Here is the recipe:

 

2 cups basmati rice- wash and soak for 15 minutes

2 large onions - slice finely and deep fried till crisp and brown

Marinate together

2 pound chicken boneless breast (you can use any type of meat)

2 cups yogurt

1 tbsp ginger paste 

2 tbsp garlic paste

2 green chillies-chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves (I didn't have those so I used coriander leaves instead)

2 tsp red chilli powder,

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp salt

Tice 4-6 clove, 1 inch stick cinnamon, 4 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 10 black peppercorns, 1/2 tsp shah zeera, 1 tsp salt

Other Ingredients:

1 inch piece ginger

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

2 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp chopped coriander, 2-3 tbsp mint leaves (I didn't have those so I didn't use them), 5 tbsp ghee, few strands of saffron mixed in 1/4 cup warm milk, 1 tsp rose water, 1 tsp kewra water, flour dough to seal the utensil

Mix yogurt, ginger and garlic paste, chopped green chillies, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, one third of fried sliced onions and chopped mint/coriander leaves. Add meat and mix. Marinate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.

For rice boil 5 cups of water. Add 1 tsp salt and shah zeera. Add the remaining spices in muslin cloth or tea infuser to the water. Add rice. Bring to boil and cook rice for 5 minutes till partly done, about 70% done. Drain and spread out on a tray.

Grease the botton of a thick bottom handi or an oven proof dish. Arrange half of the meat. Over it arrange half of the parboiled rice. Then arrange one third of fried sliced onions and ginger, Sprinkle half of cardamom powder, garam masala and chopped coriander/mint.

Pour 3 tbsp of ghee on top. Warm milk and dissolve saffron in it. Add half of the saffron milk to the biryani. Sprinkle rose water and kewra water.

Repeat the layers. Cover the vessel with a lid. Seal the lid with flour dough. Place a dawa on high flame. Keep the handi on the tawa for 3-4 minutes on high heat. Redure heat and cook on low heat on the tawa for 45 minutes. If using an oven proof dish, cover the foil and keep in a warm over at 150 C for 45 minutes. 

Mix and serve.

Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!