Chicken Biriani
Pat Chapman's Curry Club Indian Restaurant Cookbook
Birianis were developed by the inventive chefs of the Moghul emperors. The classic method of cooking them is to part-cook the rice and filling, then to have alternative layers and fillings, with a final layer of rice. Stock is poured on top, the dish is covered and sealed, and then it is baked. It is a rich, decorative festive dish, a meal in itself.
Ingredients
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 inch (2.5cm) fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter ghee
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2lb (675g) chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
salt to taste
Rice
400g Basmati Rice
1/4 teaspoon Iranian Saffron strands
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter ghee
1 pint (600ml) chicken stock
Spices 1
2 green cardamoms
5 black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon cummin, ground
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
Spices 2
2 green cardamoms
2 whole cloves
2 inch (5cm) cassia bark
2 bay leaves
Garnish
1 hard-boiled egg, thinly sliced
Method
Preheat oven to 325-350?F / 160-180?C / Gas 3-4.
To Cook The Spicy Chicken
In a frying pan, fry the large onion, garlic and ginger in the ghee until golden then add Spices 1.
Add the lemon juice, chicken chunks and chopped tomatoes.
Cook very slowly, on the lowest heat, stiring all the time.
After 20 minutes, the chicken should be quite dry and coated with the spicy onion mixture.
Salt to taste.
To Cook The Rice
In a lidded pot.
Fry the medium onion in the ghee.
Add Spices 2 and stir.
Rinse the rice with hot water from the kettle, then add to pan and stir gently.
Add the chicken stock and the saffron and stir.
Add the contents of the frying pan and carefully combine everything together.
Put the lid on the pot and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
Garnish with slices of hard boiled egg, if liked.
Serve With
Jeera Raitha.
Note
Small changes have been made to the original recipe, printed in Pat Chapman's Indian Restaurant Cookbook. I have had to make these changes as the quality of rice and meat has changed and we have a very powerful range.
Find this, and other delicious recipes in Pat Chapman's Curry Club Indian Restaurant Cookbook
