Zee's Kitchen is Back! With a Biryani!

UPDATE: Hey everyone! I hope you're all doing well amidst the global pandemic that took over the world and got us all under lockdown. I myself had a couple of rough patches to deal with in the past few months which in the end led me to not be with a kitchen thereby not allowing me to share more of my culinary delights with all of you. But rest assured, things are getting back on track, and since I now have availed myself a kitchen in a new place, I thought why not celebrate my return by making a delicious Biryani for all of you to try! So without further ado, let's move on to the main course!

Now if there is one dish that unites everyone in South Asia, it would have to be Biryani! Ask anyone who has grown up with South Asian cuisine or is a huge lover of it and you're bound to see them list Biryani on their top 5 easily. With it's melody of spices mixed in with your choice of meat (Or not) enveloped into a bed of basmati rice which is then mixed together to bring this delectable fragrant dish, you are transported into a realm of harmonic bliss with each spoonful of bite you take. Like a flowing poetry that strikes you with each stanza, this is one dish you cannot miss out upon if you embark on a journey for trying out South Asian cuisine. 

Many would assume that Biryani's origins come from India, but no one has a definite answer to where it started from. Some say it originated from Persia while others claim to actually have originated within India. The word 'Biryani' comes from the Persian words 'Birian' (بریان) which means to 'fry before cooking' and Birinj (برنج), the Persian word for 'rice'. Some historians trace it's history to Persia where it was then popularised in the subcontinent by the Mughals and became part of Mughal cuisine. Another interesting origin story traces it back to Mumtaz Mahal, the queen to Mughal emperor Shah Jehan who once visited the army barracks only to find the soldiers under-nourished. So she ordered the kitchen chef to prepare a meal involving layering up the rice, vegetables, meat and nuts and cook it in a large sealed pot which would provide the soldiers with all the essential nutrients. And hence Biryani was born.

Now no matter where the dish's origins may be from, one can attest as to how tastefully delightful it is. The varieties of Biryani that one can savour are loads. As a matter of fact, If I were to list the different kinds of Biryanis that are out there, it would go above 50! The best part is that each regional variation of the Biryani has it's own distinct heritage as to how it came to be. From the light taste of the Lucknow Biryani to the more flavourful Bombay Biryani or the spicier Sindhi Biryani and the ever loved Hyderabadi Biryani. Safe to say this will not be the last you'll hear from me about Biryani as I make more of them in the future. 

So for this version of Biryani, I kept it simple as a way to introduce more people into the world of Biryani. The spices used are mostly the more common ones that you expect from any variation, with no extras added. Though I did fry the chicken a bit more in order to give it a bit of a crispy exterior while having a more juicy interior once you bite into it. Making a Biryani is a two part process, one being to prepare the 'Biryani masala' with the meat, potatoes, spices and the other being to prepare the rice. The important part while cooking the rice is that it has to be about 75 to 80% done with the remaining being cooked once you layer the rice with the masala. And once the magic is done, you are in for an experience that will redefine your tastebuds, taking them to new heights that you never imagined before. 

Try making it yourself when you have friends over or you are having a formal dinner party and I assure you everyone will be asking for seconds (Or thirds!) till the whole pot is emptied out. 

If you enjoyed this recipe there's also a story highlight I added on Instagram as to how I prepared it. You can watch it here: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17886849064677297/

Also folllow my Instagram @zees_kitchen_  ( https://www.instagram.com/zees_kitchen_/ )for more delicious food updates!

Here's the recipe:

Chicken Biryani Recipe (Makes 6 to 7 servings):

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Ingredients:

- 1 kg chicken (On the bone or boneless - any will do, I used on the bone here).

- 500 to 750 gms white basmati rice (Make sure to have good quality basmati rice as that's very important - ask your local store about what brand is best).

- 1 to 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

- 1 and a 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder

- 1 and a 1/2 tbsp coriander powder

- 1 tsp turmeric powder

- 1 tsp cumin seeds or powder (roasted)

- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder

- 4 to 6 cloves

- 2 inch cinnamon

- 4 to 6 cardamom

- 1 bay leaf

- 1 to 2 tsp mace (Jaivatri) powder 

- 4 medium sized onions (finely sliced) - around 250 gms

- 4 to 5 medium sized tomatoes (chopped) - around 250 gms

- 4 to 5 medium sized potatoes (cut into quarters)

- 250 gms yoghurt (beaten)

- 1 and a 1/2 cup cooking oil / ghee

- 1 and a  1/2 tsp salt (or according to taste)

Preparation:

- First take your rice, and wash it in a bowl to remove the excess starch. You'll need to strain and keep washing the rice a few times until you see that the next time you add water into the rice bowl, the water comes off as clear. Once that happens, let the rice soak in the water for at least 30 minutes. 

- In a large cooking pot, heat up the oil and keep it on medium high flame. Add in the onions and fry them till they're golden brown. 

- Add in the chicken pieces and the garlic ginger paste and fry them for about 10 to 15 minutes. 

- Next add in the chopped tomatoes, all the spices, yoghurt and the potatoes. slowly stir and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes n medium high flame till everything seems well incorporated. 

- Add in 1/2 a glass of water, cover the pot with a lid and let it cook on low flame till the meat is tender and the oil / ghee starts separating. Stir the pot to ensure all the water that comes out of the tomatoes and yoghurt has been evaporated leaving you with a thick masala mixture. If you feel the mixture is not thick enough, continue to cook on high flame till it becomes thick. Turn the flame off and set it aside. 

- In a separate large pot (Which is deep and wide), add in about 12 glasses (3 litres) of water along with 3 to 4 tablespoons of salt and 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil, put it on high heat and bring it to a rolling boil.

- Drain the water from the soaked rice and then add in the rice into the boiling pot. 

- Boil the rice on high flame for about 5 to 7 minutes till it is around 70% cooked. VERY IMPORTANT: Do not cook the rice fully as that will ruin the rice. One way to check if the rice is par boiled is to take a grain out and try breaking it, if you still feel a bit of hardness in the rice grain then that's a good indicator that it's par boiled. 

- Once the rice is around 70% done, immediately drain the rice in a colander and let it cool. A better way to cool it is to spread the rice on a wide tray. 

- Next in the same big pot that you boiled the rice in. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and spread it at the bottom. This will ensure the rice doesn't stick as much at the bottom. 

- Take half of the boiled rice and layer it at the bottom of the pot spread evenly. 

- Then add in the biryani masala mixture we cooked earlier and layer it on top of the rice all spread evenly. 

- Lastly layer the other half of the boiled rice on top, all spread evenly. add some more oil over the top. Cover and cook it on low flame for around 35 to 45 minutes (Bonus tip: if you cover the top of the pot with a clean kitchen cloth and put the lid on, it'll make the dish cook even better). Turn off the flame and let it stand for 5 minutes.

- Slowly mix everything starting from one edge of the pot until everything is well incorporated.

- Best served on the dinner table by plating the Biryani on a long serving plate.