Biriyani – Though Biriyani is not a traditional Kerala dish, it became very popular in Kerala. It’s a spice rice mixed with meat or vegetables. Most of the Keralites order Biriyani in restaurants than any other food because of it’s mouth watering aroma of spices and ghee. In my case also I check the whole menu items in restaurants and finally end up with ordering Biriyani ? . There are many variation of Biriyani all over India. Even in Kerala, varietieris of Biriyanis like Kozhikodan Biriyani, Thalassery Biriyani, Travancore Biriyani etc are available. In Kerala Biriyani preparation, flavour and color differ place to place.
The Biriyani making process takes long time in hours. So I found out a quick and easy way to make a healthy Biriyani still giving authentic Biriyani flavour (Y) .
Like all other Biriyanis, rice flavouring is given by cardamom, clove and cinnamon and masala flavouring for chicken is given by ginger, garlic, chilly, spice powder, coriander leaves and mint leaves in this preparation. Curd makes the chicken soft.
I’m not using more ghee so this dish is healthy too. ? Also here I’m using excess water and straining the water instead of cooking in less water. By this we can remove excess starch form the rice and make Biriyani with good texture.
Choosing Rice – Here I’m using Kaima rice – very small grain but long grain rice can also be used which gives an appealing texture. Kaima rice is used in making Biriyanis in some places of Kerala as it gives a Biriyani aroma even in raw form.
Please note, as we do not fry ginger and garlic, do not take it more quantities than I suggested here.
Best Combination
- Raitha + Pappad + Pickle
Quick and Easy Chicken Biriyani
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Ingredients
- 1. Chicken - 500 Gms - Cut into medium pieces
- 2. Kaima rice/ Basmati rice - 1 Cup
- --- For marinating ---
- 3. Ginger - 1 Teaspoon - Chopped
- 4. Garlic - 1 Teaspoon - Chopped
- 5. Green chilly - 5 Nos
- 6. Coriander leaves - 1/2 Cup - Chopped
- 7. Mint leaves - 1/4 Cup - Chopped
- 8. Curd - 2 Tablespoon
- 9. Biriyani Masala/ Garam Masala - 1 1/2 Teaspoon - Powder
- --- For preparing rice ---
- 10. Cardamom - 3 Nos
- 11. Clove - 3 Nos
- 12. Cinnamon stick - Medium - 4 Cm long
- Other Ingredients
- 13. Onion - 2 Cup - Sliced
- 14. Tomato - 1/2 Cup - Chopped
- 15. Ghee - 2 Tablespon
- 16. Salt
Instructions
- Soak rice in water for 20 minutes.
- Boil 5 cups of water and add rice. Cook rice with ingredients 10 – 12 and salt. Cook till 80% is done and strain water.
- Make a paste of ginger, garlic and chillies. Marinate chicken with ingredients from 3 to 9 and salt and keep it aside for 20 minutes.
- Heat ghee in a wok and fry onion till brown.
- Add tomato and cook till tomatoes are soft and mashed.
- Add marinated chicken and cook in medium flame without adding water. Keep the lid tight.
- Add cooked rice on the top of the chicken when it is almost done.
- Cover the pan tight and cook in very low flame till the rice is cooked well.
- Mix well and switch off the flame.
- Garnish with ghee fried cashew nuts, raisins and onion. But this step is optional.
- Serve hot.
