Nawabi chicken biryani
Thisspecific nawabi chicken biryani recipe is basically made for 6 people.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 big tablespoons ginger-garlic paste.
1.5 kg (which is about 3.3 lbs) of chicken pieces with the bone still in… thighs and drumsticks are definitely the best choice here.
1 cup of just plain yogurt.
2 big tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste.
1.5 teaspoons of red chili powder, for a little kick.
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.
2 teaspoons of coriander powder.
1.5 teaspoons of garam masala… that’s the important stuff.
1 teaspoon of cumin powder.
Juice from one whole lemon.
1.5 teaspoons of salt, or honestly just however much you think is right.
3 tablespoons of oil or maybe ghee if you want it richer.
For the rice:
3 cups of really good quality basmati rice.
6 cups of water for the boiling part.
4 green cardamom pods.
4 cloves.
2 bay leaves.
A little 1-inch cinnamon stick.
1 teaspoon of salt.
1 teaspoon of oil or ghee.
For the biryani layers and finishing:
3 big onions, sliced up real thin.
½ cup of oil or ghee just for frying those onions.
½ cup of fresh cilantro (coriander), all chopped up.
½ cup of fresh mint leaves, chopped too.
½ cup of warm milk.
A big pinch of saffron strands… don’t be stingy here.
2 or 3 green chilies, slit down the middle if you want a bit more heat.
2 tablespoons of ghee or butter for the final layering part.
1 teaspoon of rose water or maybe kewra water… it’s traditional, but optional.
Some fried cashews and raisins for the top if you’re feeling fancy.
Instructions
- Step 1: marinate the chicken First things first, wash those chicken pieces and pat them dry. Then, in a big bowl, just mix up the yogurt, that ginger-garlic paste, the chili powder, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, cumin, lemon juice, salt, and the oil. Throw the chicken in there and make sure every single piece is covered well. Cover it up and put it in the fridge for at least an hour. Honestly though, if you can let it sit for 3 or 4 hours, or even overnight, the flavor gets way deeper. This part is super important because the yogurt makes the meat really soft while the spices soak in.
- Step 2: prepare the saffron milk and fried onions Warm up that half cup of milk and toss in the saffron. Let it just sit there so the color and smell can really come out. While that’s happening, heat up some oil or ghee in a wide pan and fry those sliced onions on medium heat. You want them to turn a deep golden brown. Keep stirring them so they don’t burn! Once they’re done, take them out and put them on a paper towel. These crispy onions… we call them birista… they add this sweetness and texture that really defines what a good nawabi biryani is supposed to be.
- Step 3: cook the chicken Now, get a heavy pot or a dutch oven and heat a bit of oil. Put the marinated chicken in there with all that extra marinade too. Cook it on medium heat for maybe 12 to 15 minutes. Stir it every now and then until the chicken is like 80% cooked and the sauce gets thick. The chicken should still be a little bit underdone because it’s gonna finish cooking later during the steaming stage. Turn off the heat and just keep it ready.
- Step 4: cook the basmati rice Wash the rice really gently until the water isn’t cloudy anymore. Soak it for like 20 or 30 minutes, then drain it. In a big pot, boil 6 cups of water with those whole spices—the cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon—plus the salt and oil. Add the rice and cook it until it’s about 70% or 75% done. The grains should still have a tiny bit of a bite in the middle. Drain the rice right away and spread it out so it stops cooking. You don’t want it turning into mush.
- Step 5: layer the biryani Use that same heavy pot from the chicken. Spread a layer of the chicken and all that gravy on the bottom. Sprinkle some of those fried onions, the mint, and the cilantro on top. Then add a layer of the rice. If you have more, just repeat the layers, but make sure rice is on the very top. On that final layer, drizzle the saffron milk, the rest of the onions, more mint and cilantro, the green chilies, and 2 tablespoons of ghee. If you like that traditional flower smell, add the rose water now.
- Step 6: dum cooking (the sealing stage) Okay, this is the big one. The most important step for a real nawabi biryani. Cover the pot with a lid that fits really tight. You can even seal the edges with a bit of dough made from flour and water if you want to be super traditional. Put the pot on a very low flame. If your stove gets really hot, put a flat pan or a griddle under the pot. Let it steam for 20 or 25 minutes. That low heat lets the flavors basically get married and the chicken finishes cooking perfectly while the rice drinks in all those amazing smells. Once the 25 minutes are up, turn off the heat but don’t open it yet! Let it sit for another 10 minutes. This resting time helps everything settle down.
- Step 7: serve Now, open the lid carefully… watch out for the steam. Gently fluff the biryani from the sides so the layers mix just a little bit without breaking the rice grains. Serve it hot with some raita, maybe a little salad, or a simple salan if you want. Toss on some extra fried onions or those cashews if you feel like it.