Of the many things Kozhikode is famous for, the chicken biriyani would be on the top of most lists. Like any self respecting dish, there are regional differences in how a biriyani is made and more importantly there are regional rivalries. So Hyderabad can keep its biriyani, I will take the Kozhikkoden one any day.
It is one of the easiest of all biriyanis as well. It does not have a whole lot of spices in it. It is a bit tricky to get the correct balance of the moisture and the garam masala, though. I got the recipe from one of the cookery books from one of the Queens of Kerala Cuisine, Mrs. K.M.Mathew. This one is made in two stages and then assembled to get the final product. I used some oil instead of ghee, but it tastes better if made in all ghee.
Difficluty level: Medium
Preparation time: 1 hr 15min
Cooking time: 1 hr
Makes: 2-3 servings
Ingredients
Chicken: 10 breast tenderloins(about 500 gms) cut into bite-size pieces
Ginger: 3/4 inch cube, coarsely chopped
Green chillies: 2, cut into small round pieces
Tomato: 1 medium size
Yoghurt: 2 tbsp
Oil: 1 tsp + 1 tbsp
Ghee: 1 tsp
Basmati rice: 1 cup (soaked in water for 1 hr)
Hot water: 1 1/2 cup
Onion: 1 medium, thinly sliced
Lime juice: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Saffron: 4-5 strands
Garam masala: 2 tsp
Salt: to taste
Optional: Dry fruits(raisins,dates etc): a couple of tablespoons, roasted in ghee
Dissolve the turmeric powder and saffron in lime juice and keep aside.
In a skillet heat 1 tsp oil and add the crushed ginger and green chillies. Saute until the raw taste of the ginger has gone. Add the chicken and mix well. Add the tomato cut into big pieces, along with yoghurt. Add salt to taste. Cover and cook for 10 min, or until done. Allow excess water to evaporate, but do not cook until the gravy is completely dry. It should still be slightly moist when you switch of the flame. Keep aside and sprinkle 1 tsp garam masala uniformly on top, and mix well.
In the meantime, heat another skillet and add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp ghee. Saute the onion until light brown. Add the rice and saute until it turns translucent. Add the hot water and salt. Cover and cook on medium-low flame, for about 8 min (or until it is cooked) and allow all the water to evaporate. Switch off the flame when all the water has just evaporated. Stir in the roasted dry fruits.
Pre-heat the oven to warm setting or the lowest temperature. To assemble the biriyani, take a 11 cup or 2.6 L oven-proof dish. Add the chicken as the first layer and sprinkle 1 tsp garam masala again, uniformly, on top. Add the rice as the second layer. Use a spoon to press down the biriyani. Pour the saffron and turmeric powder dissolved in lime juice on top. Cover with aluminium foil and leave in the pre-heated oven for 15 min. Mix well and serve hot.
The best accompaniments are raita and tender mango pickle.
It is one of the easiest of all biriyanis as well. It does not have a whole lot of spices in it. It is a bit tricky to get the correct balance of the moisture and the garam masala, though. I got the recipe from one of the cookery books from one of the Queens of Kerala Cuisine, Mrs. K.M.Mathew. This one is made in two stages and then assembled to get the final product. I used some oil instead of ghee, but it tastes better if made in all ghee.
Difficluty level: Medium
Preparation time: 1 hr 15min
Cooking time: 1 hr
Makes: 2-3 servings
Ingredients
Chicken: 10 breast tenderloins(about 500 gms) cut into bite-size pieces
Ginger: 3/4 inch cube, coarsely chopped
Green chillies: 2, cut into small round pieces
Tomato: 1 medium size
Yoghurt: 2 tbsp
Oil: 1 tsp + 1 tbsp
Ghee: 1 tsp
Basmati rice: 1 cup (soaked in water for 1 hr)
Hot water: 1 1/2 cup
Onion: 1 medium, thinly sliced
Lime juice: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Saffron: 4-5 strands
Garam masala: 2 tsp
Salt: to taste
Optional: Dry fruits(raisins,dates etc): a couple of tablespoons, roasted in ghee
Dissolve the turmeric powder and saffron in lime juice and keep aside.
In a skillet heat 1 tsp oil and add the crushed ginger and green chillies. Saute until the raw taste of the ginger has gone. Add the chicken and mix well. Add the tomato cut into big pieces, along with yoghurt. Add salt to taste. Cover and cook for 10 min, or until done. Allow excess water to evaporate, but do not cook until the gravy is completely dry. It should still be slightly moist when you switch of the flame. Keep aside and sprinkle 1 tsp garam masala uniformly on top, and mix well.
In the meantime, heat another skillet and add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp ghee. Saute the onion until light brown. Add the rice and saute until it turns translucent. Add the hot water and salt. Cover and cook on medium-low flame, for about 8 min (or until it is cooked) and allow all the water to evaporate. Switch off the flame when all the water has just evaporated. Stir in the roasted dry fruits.
Pre-heat the oven to warm setting or the lowest temperature. To assemble the biriyani, take a 11 cup or 2.6 L oven-proof dish. Add the chicken as the first layer and sprinkle 1 tsp garam masala again, uniformly, on top. Add the rice as the second layer. Use a spoon to press down the biriyani. Pour the saffron and turmeric powder dissolved in lime juice on top. Cover with aluminium foil and leave in the pre-heated oven for 15 min. Mix well and serve hot.
The best accompaniments are raita and tender mango pickle.
