* Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Hyderabadi Dum Biryani.............My husband is a die heart fan of Hyderabadi Chicken dum biryani.Wherever he goes he was chasing for dum biryani,,be it any place in world.And it is very difficult to get a A+ from him Regarding this dish.He is very particular about the smell & the taste.This post is lengthy but I would suggest it is worth it.It takes practice to master the art of biryani making.So if you don't get it right in your first attempt try try try,you will learn to get it right eventually.I will try my best to explain properly.I'm making this chicken biryani once a week from last 2 years now.And it took me many attempts to get it right.The biryani day is easy and less mess for me in kitchen and we get to eat this awesome biryani with less effort which makes a busy day easy.So here comes the recipe:

Ingredients:

1. Basmati rice(2 cups)-I like 'India gate' brand basmati rice,,but you are good to do with any Basmati rice you like.
2. 1 lb chicken thigh
   
3. Shan Chicken biryani mix(If I don't have my biryani mix then I go for this stored bought spice,I will post the biryani masala in another post)
4. 2 tb sp Ginger Garlic paste
5. 5 green chillies(adjust to the hot level you can eat)
   
6. 10 cloves
7. 8 Green cardamom
8. 1 Black cardamom
   
9. 4 florets of mace
10. 10 whole black pepper corns
11. 2 inch cinnamon
12. 3 star Annis
13. 2 tb sp shahi zeera(1 type of cumin,you can replace with normal cumin too)
14. 2 bay leaves
15. 1 tsp cumin powder
16. 1/2 tsp turmeric
    
17. 1 tbsp coriander powder
18. 1 tsp red chilly powder
19. 1 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
20. 5 strands of fresh mint leaves
21. 1 cup plain yogurt
22. 3 tb sp lemon juice
    
23. 1 pinch of saffron
24. 5 tb spoon milk
25. 3 tb sp Rose water(optional )
26. 2 tb sp ghee(clarified butter)
27. 2 tb sp vegetable oil
28. 1 cubed Onion
    

Now here don't get scared of the long list of spices.some part I use for marinating the chicken and some for infusing the flavour to the rice.
There are three very important things to remember when you make Dum biryani

• Marinate the chicken at least for 3-4 hours(What I do is marinate the chicken in the morning before leaving for work or the night before),which makes the chicken very tender and juicy.
• While cooking the rice,constantly monitor,,few seconds of over-cooking can ruin the beauty of biryani.
• While cooking the biryani monitor the time and heat(The entire time of cooking it will be closed so you can't see in between the cooking process)
  

There is three parts of the entire process

• Marinate the chicken
• prepare the rice
• Assemble chicken and rice

So here is the first step--Marinate the chicken

1. In a bowl mix the below ingredients
   

• yogurt
• 2 tb sp ginger & garlic paste
  
• 5 cloves
• 4 Green cardamom
• 3 florets of mace
• 5 whole black pepper corns
• 1 inch cinnamon

• 1 Black cardamom

• 1/2 star Annis
• 1 tb sp shahi zeera(1 type of cumin,you can replace with normal cumin too)
• 1 bay leaves
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
  
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 2 strands of fresh mint leaves
• chopped green chillies
  
• salt as per your taste
• 2 tb sp vegetable oil
• Lemon juice
  
• cubed onion
• 2 tb sp shan biryani mix
  
• chopped chicken(taste the salt before you add chicken to the marinade)

Mix all these ingredients and cover the lid or seal with cling plastic, keep it in refrigerator overnight.

Now the second step : Cooking the rice

1. Soak the basmati rice for at least 30-40 minutes before cooking.
   
2. To infuse the aroma of spices into rice,In a cheese cloth tie rest of the whole spices or you can just add to the water.If you add to water then they may interfere you while eating.So here its your choice :)
   
3. In a pot heat water,add just the right amount of salt and the spices(in cheese cloth or loose).
4. When the water starts boiling add the soaked rice and monitor it carefully.
5. In few minutes it will start boiling and when its half cooked take it out of the heat and drain(when to know rice is half cooked: press the rice grain if should just break,). As the rice was already soaked it takes just 5 minitues to get the required consistency. a little overdone rice may result sticky biriyani..
   

Before you start assembling prepare the saffron milk mixture.For getting a very good colour of saffron roast it slightly on stove top for 2 minutes on a spoon and crush them and add to warm milk.This way actually the saffron flavour and colour comes wonderful in any dish.

The third step is Assembling the rice and chicken

1. Grease a heavy bottomed pan with some vegetable oil.
2. Pour the well marinated chicken at the bottom and spread evenly.
3. Add one layer of rice(use half of the cooked rice for this layer ). On top of rice layer and 1/2 tea sp shana biryani masala mix,mint leaves,coriander leaves,some rose water(optional),1 tbsp ghee(clarified butter).
4. Spread another layer of rice and pour the saffron milk mixture,1 tb sp rose water(optional) and rest 1 tb sp ghee(clarified butter)
5. Now cover the top of the vessel with either a silver foil wrap or a kitchen towel(purpose here is not to let the moisture evaporate)
6. On top of the kitchen towel place the lid.
7. keep the vessel on high heat for first 5 minutes,in medium flame for next 20 minutes and in very low for next 5 minutes.(if the vessel buttom is not heavy then the chicken may get burnt .you can use a benmerry or cook with less flame for longer time)
8. After the entire time of cooking let it stand for next 10 minutes and you can serve Biryani with kachumbar/raita(yogurt with cucumber onion ) or a gravy.
   
   
   
   

Enjoy this aromatic delicacy of Hyderabad.