Recipe
Karachi Style Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
Biryani Masala
- 1.5 lb bone-in chicken
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 medium onions, thinly sliced (Reserve 1/3 of fried onions for layering)
- 4 medium Roma tomatoes, peeled and pureed
- 1 cup plain yogurt, whipped
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in large cubes
- 1.5 tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste
- 2-3 green chillies, slit
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 black cardamom
- 3-4 black peppercorns
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1.5 tsp red chili powder
- 0.5 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 0.5 tsp garam masala powder
- 4 dried plums (aaloo bukhara)
For the Rice
- 3 cups Royal Chef’s Secret Extra Long Grain Basmati Rice
- 1 tsp black cumin seeds
- 1 star anise
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 bay leaf
Layering
- 1 cup fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- Pinch of orange food color (optional)
- Pinch of saffron (3-4 threads)
- 1/4 cup milk, warmed
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- Remaining fried onions
- 1.5 tbsp ghee or butter
Instructions
- Rinse rice gently and thoroughly and soak for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pot. Add all the whole garam masalas and sauté until fragrant (1 minute).
- Add sliced onions and fry on medium-high heat until golden brown. Set 1/3 of the fried onions aside.
- Add chicken pieces and sauté until the chicken changes color.
- Add ginger garlic paste and powdered spices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and add a splash of water if needed. The spices should coat the chicken well.
- Add puréed tomatoes. Mix, then cover and cook on medium heat until the oil separates from the gravy (approx 12-15 minutes).
- In a separate pan, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add cubed potatoes and fry until they are golden brown.
- Add yogurt to the biryani masala and cook until the masala is thick and the oil separates from the gravy.
- Add the fried potatoes and mix. Add slit green chillies and 2 tablespoons of coriander leaves. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, and turn off stove.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- generously with salt and add black cumin seeds, star anise, and bay leaf.
- Add the soaked and drained rice and cook till the rice is 70% done.
- Drain the rice. In the same pot, add oil, and half the biryani masala, rice, and top with coriander, mint, fried onions, and a few slices of lemon.
- Repeat the layer of biryani masala, and rice.
- Top the rice with remaining mint leaves, coriander, green chillies, lemon slices, fried onions. Spread ghee over the top, add saffron milk and (optional) orange food color in the middle.
- Seal the pot well and simmer the biryani for 15 minutes until steam releases from the pot and the rice is cooked through.
- Mix and serve hot with raita, sliced onions, and achar.