Chicken Dum Biryani (Star Biryani)

I love Indian food, but never knew I had this particular craving for Biryani all along. I used to be a regular customer at star biryani. I however don’t find any other players matching up the famous star biryani. I like Thalapakattu and Anjappar biryani too, but star biryani has always remained my favourite. I happened to move to the UK for my education where I lived for two years, yet I could find Indian restaurants at every corner of any street. I enjoyed my favourite biryani there as well, but couldn’t find Star biryani, not that I complain about it. Later on, my marriage, I have shifted to Germany, where the Indian population is comparatively. I missed my biryani so very much. I decided I will try it myself and failed several times to get that taste. After say nearly 4 to 5 times of continuous trial during the weekends, I must say I have perfected the art of making Biryani. I am so happy to share my version of Biryani which is a combination taste of star, thalapakattu and Anjappar biryani. Please do give it a try because after you try as stated here you are going to love it and be happy about it.

Procedure for Marination:

Firstly clean the chicken and marinate the chicken with curd (I50 g), turmeric (1/2 tsp), Red chili powder (I used 2 tsp) as per taste, Dhaniya or Coriander powder (2 and a half tsp) and salt as per taste. The longer the marinating time the tastier the biryani gets, yet I marinated for just half an hour (Could marinate for 1 hour).

 Ingredients

Chicken -1KG

Rice- 4 cups (1=150g)

Oil- 2 to 3 Tsp

Curd- 150G

Turmeric-1/2 tsp

Red chili powder- I used 3 tsp (2 ½ for marination and ½ tsp while making the gravy)

Dhaniya (coriander) powder-4 tsp (2 ½ for marination and 1½ tsp while making the gravy)

Salt as per taste- I used 1 ½ for marination and 1 tsp in the gravy.

Ginger paste- 3 tsp (add more as this helps in digestion and enhances the flavour of biryani)

Garlic Paste- 2 tsp (Do not mix ginger and garlic together for biryani, please follow the procedure for better results)

Cardamom-4

Black Cardamom-2

Mace- 1 large piece

Black jeera- 1 to 1 ½ tsp

Clove-4

Cinnamon- 4 to 5 medium sticks

Bay leaf-4 to 4 leaves

Aniseed-5

Procedure:

·         Wash rice real well, then either use a large vessel to boil the rice or rice cooker could be used. I used a rice cooker.  Rice has to be cooked half way through meaning just 50 or 60 % cooked along with mace just 1 big piece, add black jeera one tsp and add 2 to 3 black Cardamom to rice.

 On the other hand, use a large cooker for making the chicken gravy. Place the cooker on the stove with 2 Tsp of oil or could use more as well for even better taste (Once a while, crossing the border is no mistake) in a medium flame.

 Once the oil is hot, add half tsp of curd (very little) this is to remove the bitterness or any raw taste the oil has. After a few seconds, add in bay leaf, aniseed, cinnamon, clove and green cardamom. Once they splutter wait for a bit and add in half a tsp of red chili powder and sauté for a few seconds.

 Then add in the ginger paste and sauté it well for two minutes to three minutes, it could start sticking to the cooker (not to worry) keep sautéing.

Immediately add in the garlic paste and sauté it well for 2 to 3 minutes, continue on the medium flame. 

Onions must be added here and drop in 1 tsp of salt, wait until they turn light brown in colour, by now the whole kitchen must be filled with the spices aroma.

Once the onions are sautéed for 5 minutes on medium flame, add tomatoes and sauté again. Tomatoes have to be mashed real well. Just for about 5 to 10 minutes, this mixture should be mixed well. Now add in the dhaniya powder (1 and a half tsp) and mix well. 

After 5 minutes, add in the marinated chicken to this mixture and mix well with all the ingredients, add in mint leaves and coriander leaves to avoid the raw chicken smell. Cook till the chicken is perfectly done.

Meanwhile, keep stirring else ginger and garlic paste will tend to form a coating at the bottom so please stir the gravy continuously. Simultaneously check the rice. I cooked rice just for 10 minutes in the rice cooker with water, which was not measured instead filled by eyeballing till the rice is immersed well with excess water. After 10 minutes, drain off all the excess water, remove off the mace, and could be discarded. If the rice seems to be just 50 % done, don’t worry, it gets cooked while it is kept in Dum.

Once the gravy is done and the chicken is cooked well, wait till the gravy is thick enough and then add in the half-cooked rice and stir well. Add in little batches of rice and keep mixing well with the gravy.

Once the mixing is done, close the cooker and place the cooker on top of a flat pan. Put pan on the stove on the low flame. To make it faster and tastier the cooker could be sealed with the aluminium foil paper, and then the cooker could be closed and placed on the pan. I recommend keeping it in Dum for about 40 minutes minimum and do not forget to reduce the flame to low.

After about 40 to 1 hour in the low flame, remove the cooker and wait till the pressure inside is lightened. Meanwhile prepare raita by adding sliced onions to the yogurt. Chat masala and cucumber could also be sliced and added to the raita for an extra taste. Serve on a plate with the raita on side and I recommend to eat using hand as the taste is better than using a spoon or a fork.

Note:

All these Indian spices could be bought from any of the Indian store nearby your place depending on where ever you stay :). I wish you guys give it a shot and please do share your experience. I would love to hear your comments on the final outcome and If you have any doubts please do shoot it in the comment below. I will get back to you ASAP. Have a great day and happy cooking :).