Rank 31 may not sound like a big feat, but it is when we're talking at a global scale. And that's the number Hyderabadi biryani has rolled in at, in Taste Atlas' list of the '100 best dishes in the world'. Now while eating biryani is a joyride right from the first mouthful down to the last grain, making it has all kinds of horrifying notions surrounding it, primarily pegged on how it is no match for a novice or beginner in the kitchen. Well, we're here to put your biryani woes to rest, potentially for good! Prep and marination aside (which you can get a head start on today, just saying), this recipe from Swasthi's Recipes takes a mere 30 minutes to really come together. Now that doesn't sound too bad for a weeknight especially if you get a flavour-packed, steaming plate of homemade biryani by the end of it. So, let's get cooking.
Hyderabadi biryani
Ingredients: Aged Basmati rice - 1.5 cups, chicken - 1/2kg, biryani masala - 1/4 to 1/2tsp, large onion - 1, coriander leaves - 4tbsps, oil or ghee - 4tbsps, ghee - 2tbsps, 1/4tsp kesar strands soaked in 3tbsps of hot milk; Marinade — ginger-garlic paste - 1.25tbsp, haldi - 1/4tsp, dahi - 2/3 cup, lemon juice - 1tbsp, red chilli powder - 1 to 1.5tsp, garam masala/biryani masala - 1 to 1/5tsp, salt - 3/4tsp; Whole spices for rice —water - 7 cups, salt - 1 to 1.25tsp, oil - 1tsp, bay leaf - 1, cinnamon - 3 inches, cloves - 6, green cardamom - 4, star anise - 1, black cardamom - 1, mace - 2 strands, shahi jeera - 1/2tsp
Method: Thinly slice the onions and fry it in oil — make sure to not burn. The remaining oil from the pan must be reserved for the marinade. Mix all the marinade ingredients together, with the oil and slather over chicken well. Let this rest for at least 2 hours or even overnight. Now boil the water for the rice with the spices and then add in the rice. Cook till 75% done, before draining the water. Now bring out the main casserole in which you will be adding dum to your biryani. Line with oil, followed by onions, some of the chicken and mint and coriander leaves. Now add some of the rice, followed by more onions, leaves, masala and some saffron milk. Drizzle some ghee and repeat another layer of this. Now simply cover the casserole with some tightly tucked foil with a heavy lid. First cook this on medium high for 20 minutes followed by another 15 minutes on low. Let this rest for 20 to 30 minutes before you serve with some raita and onions.
{{/usCountry}}Method: Thinly slice the onions and fry it in oil — make sure to not burn. The remaining oil from the pan must be reserved for the marinade. Mix all the marinade ingredients together, with the oil and slather over chicken well. Let this rest for at least 2 hours or even overnight. Now boil the water for the rice with the spices and then add in the rice. Cook till 75% done, before draining the water. Now bring out the main casserole in which you will be adding dum to your biryani. Line with oil, followed by onions, some of the chicken and mint and coriander leaves. Now add some of the rice, followed by more onions, leaves, masala and some saffron milk. Drizzle some ghee and repeat another layer of this. Now simply cover the casserole with some tightly tucked foil with a heavy lid. First cook this on medium high for 20 minutes followed by another 15 minutes on low. Let this rest for 20 to 30 minutes before you serve with some raita and onions.
{{/usCountry}}May the biryani gods be with you!