Chettinad Chicken Biryani | Chicken Biryani ~ Chettinadu Style

Whoever was the first to discover biryani seriously needs a standing ovation. Its a science, making that perfect biryani is a science and skill by itself and it needs experience to get that texture and flavors right. My mom makes the best dum biryani in the world and me and my brother go bongers whenever she makes it. I had never had the courage to attempt her version cos its quite lenghty and I had never had that patience. So I always stick to the pressure cooker version. It is easy but still it took me an year and lots of trials to perfect it. And now I can proudly say that I make a good biryani.

I have started trying new varieties of biryanis these days, the first bring the Dindigul chicken biryani. It was so tasty and it has become a regular in the kitchen. Last week when I was reading the booklet that my MIL had presented, this chettinad biryani had me hooked to it. The ingredients were huge and the process lengthy but I knew that it would be a stunner by taste. And so it was.

~*What U Need*~ For Marination: Chicken - 500 gms, with bone Thick Curd - 2 tbsp Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Salt - a big pinch For Briyani Masala Powder: Fennel Seeds - 1 tbsp Cinnamon - 1" Cardamom - 2 Star anise - 1/2 Cloves - 2 For Grinding: Pearl Onions - 8-10 Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup Mint leaves - 1/2 cup Green chilli - 1 For the biryani: Onion - 2, chopped, medium Tomato - 1, chopped Green chilli - 2-3 Bay leaf - 1 Cardamom - 1 Cinnamon - 1 inch piece Red chilli powder - 1 tsp Coriander powder - 2 tsp Turmeric powder - a pinch Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp Thick curd - 1/4 cup Coriander and mint leaves - a handful each Salt Oil - 2 tbsp Ghee - 4 tbsp Biryani rice - 1 1/2 cups Coconut milk - 1 cup Water - 1 cup How I Made it: Marinate the chicken with the marination ingredients and set aside for 20 mins. Soak the basmati rice in water for 20 mins. Grind the biryani masala powder in a coffee grinder. Grind the coriander, mint leaves and green chilli and set aside. Grind the pearl onions and set aside. Heat oil and 2 tbsp ghee in the pressure cooker and fry the cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon and green chillies. Add onions and fry till golden brown. Add the ground pearl onions paste and fry till the oil separates. Add ginger garlic paste and once the raw smell goes off, add the chopped tomatoes. When the tomatoes are cooked till mushy, add the ground mint-coriander paste. Add the curd and mix well followed by the freshly ground biryani masala powder, turmeric, coriander, and red chilli powder. Fry for 3-4 mins. Add the chicken pieces and cook till half done. Meanwhile drain water from the basmati rice and saute this in 1 tbsp ghee till it turns non-sticky. Add the rice to the masala, pour water and coconut milk, season with salt and cook for 2 whistles. Once the pressure is released, add the remaining 1 tbsp ghee and chopped coriander and mint leaves and fold carefully not to break the rice grains.

Serve warm with raitha!!!

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!