Zafrani Biryani

Ingredients for Zafrani Biryani:

1. Chicken – ½ kg

2. Green chillies – 10

    Ginger – 1 big piece

    Garlic big sized – 1 as whole

3. Curd – 2 big spoons

    Salt – For taste

    Turmeric powder – ¼ small spoon

4. Saffron – ½ small spoon, soaked in warm milk or water

5. Biryani rice – 2 cups

6. Ghee – 1 big spoon

    Oil – 1 big spoon

7. Sha Jeerakam (Sha Jeera/Black Cumin) – ½ small spoon

    Cardamom – 2

    Cloves – 2

    Cinnamon – 1 piece

8. Onion – ½, chopped fine

9. Curd – 2 big spoons

10. Boiling water – 4 cups

      Salt – 2 small spoons

      Mint leaves – As required

11. Oil – 4 big spoons

12. Onions – 2, medium sized chopped

13. Tomato – 2, chopped

14. Mint leaves and coriander leaves – 1 cup, together

15. Coriander powder – 1 small spoon

      Garam masala powder – 1 small spoon

16. Curd – ¾ cup

17. Salt – As needed

18. Ghee – As required

19. Lemon juice, garam masala powder, onions roasted, cashews & raisins roasted – As required

How to prepare Zafrani Biryani?

1. Cut chicken into pieces and remove its water content.

2. Make a fine paste of ingredients no: 2.

3. Take two big spoons of this paste along with ingredients no: 3 and saffron and marinate chicken.

4. Allow the chicken to rest for half an hour.

5. Wash basmati rice, soak for half an hour and drain excess water.

6. Heat ghee and oil, and sauté black cumin, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.

7. Add onions and sauté it well.

8. Add a small spoon of gravy and sauté again, followed by curd.

9. Add rice and fry till it starts separating from the pan.

10. Add 4 cups of boiling water, salt and mint leaves.

11. Mix well, reduce the flame and cook for 10 minutes with closed lid.

12. Open the lid, stir it once and keep it aside (to avoid formation of lumps).

13. Heat oil in another pan and fry the chicken till the raw smell goes out.

14. In the remaining oil, sauté onions followed tomato.

15. Add a handful of mint leaves and coriander leaves each and sauté again.

16. When it is done, add coriander powder and garam masala powder followed by curd and sauté again.

17. When a thin layer of oil appears on the surface add chicken and salt.

18. Close the lid and cook in low flame for 10 minutes.

19. When the curry thickens put off the flame.

20. Grease a thick bottomed vessel and spread chicken as first layer.

21. Spread 1/3^rd portion of rice as layer 2.

22. Sprinkle lemon juice, garam masala powder, coriander leaves, mint leaves, soaked saffron and ghee on its top.

23. Spread half portion of remaining rice as third layer.

24. Again sprinkle lemon juice, garam masala powder, soaked saffron and ghee on its top.

25. Spread remaining rice on its top, followed by lemon juice, garam masala powder, soaked saffron and ghee.

26. Spread fried onion, cashews and raisins on its top and tightly close the lid.

27. Dum Zafrani Biryani for half an hour in low flame and serve.

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine June 1 – 14, 2019 

A few more delicious Biryani recipes for you. Here is the page link. Click on the images in the gallery to read.