Kerala Style Chicken Biriyani

A perfect and delicious one pot meal , I am totally in love with this dish. A comfort meal , you can sit back and enjoy , and feel right at home ....I have used store bought biryani masala for this , like shaan , eastern, Ann's , or even Sanjeev kapoor's. Add more or reduce the amount of spices and masala to suit your taste buds. 

While growing up and even now , I crave for biryani  often and never fail to order on our visit to an Indian joint here :)

Recipe for Kerala Style Chicken Biryani:-

Ingredients:-

For Rice

Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cup

Whole cloves,cardamom and mace- 3 each
Bay leaf - 1

Butter - 1/4 stick

Salt

To Marinate Chicken

Chicken - 1/2 kg
Yogurt - 2 tablespoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tea spoon
Crushed pepper - 1/2 to 1 tea spoon
Biryani Masala - 1/2 to 1 tea spoon
Salt
For Chicken Masala 

Onion Chopped - 2 cup

Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Green chilli chopped - 4-5 

Biriyani Masala - 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Crushed Pepper  - 1/2 tsp

Tomato - 1-2 chopped

Yogurt - 2 tablespoon 

Mint Leaves chopped - 1 cup

Cilantro leaves chopped - 1/2 cup Or add 2-3 table spoon of mint coriander chutney (even store bought)
Garnishing 

Onion Thinly sliced - 1 cup(garnishing)

Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup

Raisins- 1/2 cup

Butter

Salt to taste

Method
Marinate the chicken pieces with all the ingredients under To Marinate section and set aside for 3-4 hours in the fridge

Heat butter in a pan and add all whole spices for a minute.Add rice and fry for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups hot water , salt and cook covered till done.

Heat butter in a pan and fry the Onions first,the fry cashew nuts and raisins,keep it aside

In the same pan Saute' Chopped onions until it is soft and add Ginger garlic paste and green chillies , saute.add chopped tomatoes and saute till the oil separates.

When oil starts to separate add Turmeric powder,pepper crushed ,Biriyani masala and salt and saute it for a minute

Add the chicken pieces to it and saute' it well for a couple of minutes

Now mix it with yogurt and the chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves

Add a little water if needed and cook it in a medium flame till the chicken is done and the gravy is medium dry...There should be some gravy left for baking the rice in it...

Now take a baking dish and Brush it with some butter.

Spread a layer of rice in the bottom and chicken on the top.

Arrange the rice and the chicken masala this way.

Garnish with Fried onions,cashews and raisins and cover it with an aluminium foil 

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees and bake this for 10-20 minutes

( if you are using a microwave, arrange the rice and gravy in layers in a microwave safe dish,cover it with a microwave safe lid and cook it for 5-7 minutes. On stove top arrange it in a vessel ,cover it with a lid ,and keep it on the top of a heavy tawa and heat it for 6-7 minutes.)

Serve it with Chutney or Raita...

Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!