Kizhi Biryani

Ingredients for Kizhi Biryani:

For Chicken:

1. Chicken – 12 pieces 

2. Shallots finely chopped – 1 cup 

3. Onion thinly sliced – 1 large 

4. Tomato – 2 

5. Ginger garlic paste – 2 tablespoons 

6. Bird’s eye chilli or Green chilli – 5 

7. Thick coconut milk – 1 cup 

8. Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon 

9. Black pepper powder – 1 teaspoon 

10. Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 teaspoon

11. Garam masala – 1 teaspoon

12. Lemon – 1

For Rice:

13. Kaima rice – ½ kg 

14. Cinnamon, Cloves, Star anise, Cardamom – 4 each 

15. Ginger and Green chilli finely chopped – 2 teaspoons 

16 .Onion sliced lengthwise – 1 large 

17. Cashew nuts, Raisins, Ghee, Sunflower oil, Curry leaves, Coriander leaves, Rose water, Banana leaf – As required 

Let’s prepare chicken first:

1. Heat oil in a pan and sauté the ginger-garlic paste until it turns brown. 

2. Add chopped shallots, sliced onion, and chopped bird’s eye chilli. Add salt to taste and sauté well. 

3. Once sautéed, add turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, pepper powder, and garam masala. Sauté well and pour in the thick coconut milk. 

4. When the mixture reduces slightly, add the chicken pieces. 

5. Once it starts boiling, add chopped tomato cubes and a little lemon juice. 

6. When the chicken is cooked, open the lid and let it reduce until thick. Then cover and cook on low flame for a while. 

7. Once oil separates, and the masala is well coated, add chopped coriander leaves and turn off the flame. 

Let’s cook rice next:

8. Pour oil into a heated pan and sauté the ground ginger-garlic paste until it turns brown. 

9. Add chopped shallots, sliced onion, and chopped bird’s eye chillies. Sauté well. Add salt to taste. 

10. Once well sautéed, add turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, pepper powder, and garam masala. Sauté well again, then pour in the thick coconut milk. 

11. When it thickens slightly, add the chicken pieces. 

12. When it starts boiling, add chopped tomatoes and a little lemon juice. 

13. Once the chicken is cooked, reduce and dry it slightly with the lid open. Then cover and cook on low flame for a while. 

14. When oil starts to separate and the curry thickens, add coriander leaves and turn off the heat. 

Finally, let’s prepare Kizhi Biryani using Dum process:

15. Take a clean banana leaf and place a little rice on it. 

16. On top of the rice, add a layer of masala, then another layer of rice, and finally the fried onion, curry leaves, cashew nuts, and raisins. 

17. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, 1 teaspoon rose water, and 1 teaspoon ghee on top, then fold and tie the banana leaf like a parcel. Prepare four such parcels. 

18. Place them in a steamer (appa chembu) and steam for 20 minutes. The kizhi biryani is now ready.

Read a few more biryani recipes.