Chicken dum biryani
with a quick achar!
Chicken Dum Biryani
Adapted from Madam Krishnan’s South Indian Recipes
Serves 6-8
Green masala:
5 green chillies (seeded or deseeded, depending on your spice level)
A small bunch of coriander leaves
A small bunch of mint leaves
25g peeled ginger
3 garlic cloves
Grind.
Ground spices:
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
4 cloves
4 green cardamom
2 teaspoons mace powder
2 teaspoons fennel powder
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon white pepper powder
Grind.
For the fried goodies:
500g ghee
250g onions, sliced
50g cashew nuts
For the chicken:
1 stick cinnamon
5 cloves
5 cardamoms
1 black cardamom
2 star anise
2 bay leaves
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
Green masala
1 whole chicken (1.5kg), cut into pieces
Ground spices
150g water
60g ground almonds
100g yogurt
½ lemon, squeezed
Fry onions in ghee until golden brown and strain. Fry cashew nuts until golden and strain. Leave 3 tablespoons ghee in wok. Add whole spices and onions. Fry until soft. Add tomatoes and fry until soft. Add green masala mixture and fry until lightly brown. Add chicken and fry until chicken changes colour. Add the ground spices. Fry for 5 minutes. Add 150g water, cover the wok and cook 10 minutes. Add ground nuts, yogurt and half fried onions. Simmer 5min. Add lemon juice. Set aside.
For the rice:
1 pandan leaf, washed, torn and knotted
2 tablespoons salt
525g basmati rice, washed, soaked 10 minutes
3 tablespoons ghee
50g raisins, soaked in 120g milk with 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
Fried onions, cashew nuts
4 tablespoons rose water
Dough (flour + water)
Boil 4L water, salt, and pandan leaf. Add the drained rice. Cook about 8 minutes, stirring. When rice is mostly cooked, strain. In a pot, add chicken pieces and some gravy. Top with rice. Pour over 3 tablespoons ghee, raisins and milk, fried onions and cashew nuts, followed by rosewater. Make a dough to seal and cook gently 30 minutes. Serve with more chicken gravy on the side
Quick Achar
1 red chilli
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
2 big limes, squeezed
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons jarred chilli garlic sauce
375g pineapple, cored, cut into small cubes
250g cucumber, seeds removed, cut into small cubes
40g onions, chopped
Grind together the chilli, sugar, salt, lime juice, vinegar, chilli garlic sauce. Mix together the dressing, pineapple, cucumber and onions. Sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.