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Chicken Biryani with Coriander Mint Raita and Onion Salad
Recipe by Depinder Chhibber
Why order in when you can make this delicious, hearty Chicken Biryani at home, using succulent chicken thigh fillets and an array of spices
- Steps
- Ingredients
Ingredients
Spiced Rice
Fried Onion
Chicken Curry
Mint and Coriander Raita
Onion Salad
Saffron
To Assemble
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Steps
- For the Spiced Rice, wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear then set aside to soak for 20 minutes.
- Bundle spices in a muslin cloth and tie in a knot. Place into a medium saucepan along with 2L water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil.
- Add the rice and cook until just tender, approximately 90% cooked, about 7 minutes.
- Strain and rinse with cool water. Stir through ghee and set aside.
- For the Fried Onion, heat the ghee in a non-stick frypan. Add the onions and cook until browned. Remove from the ghee and drain on paper towel. Set aside for assembly.
- For the Chicken Curry, dry roast whole spices over low heat in a small pan until fragrant. Grind the spices into a fine powder using a spice grinder.
- Place the ginger, garlic and chillies into a small food processor and process to a coarse paste.
- Cut each chicken thigh fillet into 4 piece and place into a bowl. Add the yoghurt, mint and coriander, 1 ½ tablespoons toasted spice mix, 1 tablespoon chilli, ginger and garlic paste, lemon juice, turmeric, chilli powder, nutmeg and salt and mix well to combine. Set aside.
- Slice the red onion and place into a deep frypan along with ghee. Place over medium heat.
- Add the remaining ginger paste and cook until lightly golden.
- Add the chicken and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. Set aside.
- For the Raita, 2 tbsp yoghurt, ¼ cup water, ginger, coriander, mint and lemon juice into a small food processor and process until finely chopped. Place 6 tablespoons into a bowl. Add remaining yoghurt and stir until a thick runny consistency is achieved.
- Add black salt, chilli powder and sugar and salt according to taste. Transfer to a small serving bowl and swirl through remaining coriander paste. Cover and set aside in the fridge.
- Place a piece of coal over an open flame to heat until glowing red.
- For the Onion Salad, slice 2 red onions finely and place into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss together. Set aside until needed.
- For the Saffron, place milk into a small glass bowl and microwave until hot. Add a pinch of saffron strands and set aside to soften.
- In a large saucepan, spoon in a layer of using half of the chicken curry (reserve oil in pan for later use), followed by spiced rice, a little of the saffron infused milk, chopped coriander and mint and the Fried Onion. Repeat layering again with remaining ingredients.
- Using tongs, transfer the hot coal into a small steel ramekin or bowl and place it into the centre of the top layer of the biryani. Add a teaspoon of reserved oil from the chicken curry. Cover the saucepan with a lid and smoke the biryani for 10 minutes.
- To serve, mix the biryani gently and serve garnished with reserved curry oil, chopped coriander and mint. Serve with bowls of raita, onion salad, saffron infused milk and coriander and mint on the side.
