Ingredients
  • ½ kg Chicken pieces. We have used drumsticks.
  • Chicken Marination:
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper powder
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • Rice preparation:
  • 200 grams Jeerakasala rice (You may use Basmati rice )
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cloves
  • ½ inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • Chicken Preparation:
  • 3 medium sized onions(200 grams) sliced
  • 2 large tomatoes (200 grams) finely chopped
  • ¼th cup garlic cloves
  • 4 green chilies
  • 2 inches ginger root
  • ¼ th cup curd (whisked)
  • 1 tbsp Thalassery Biryani Masala
  • For layering
  • 2tbsp fried cashewnuts
  • 2 tbsp fried raisins
  • 1 tbsp rose water
  • Soak few saffron threads in 1 tbsp warm milk (optional ingredient)
  • 1 cup fried onions: ½ quantity onions will be used in chicken gravy and other half in layering.
  • ½ cup fresh coriander leaves
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves
  • Other Ingredients:
  • clarified butter
  • oil
  • salt

Method

  1. Make gashes on drumsticks with a knife.
  2. Make a marinade.In a large bowl, put turmeric powder, salt, pepper powder,Add garam masala powder and lime juice.Mix all ingredients.Coat drumsticks in the marinade.
  3. Allow chicken to rest in marination for 3-4 hours (refrigerate).
  4. After 3 hours of marination, wash and drain rice.If you are using Jeerakasala, you may cook without soaking.However, if basamti rice is used, soak rice for 30 mins.
  5. In a large pan, boil 2 and ½ cup of water.Add 1 tsp oil, ½ tsp salt.Add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom.As water begins to simmer, add rice.As water begins to boil(1-2 mins), reduce heat and cook covered.Rice gets cooked in about 5 minutes.Take cooked rice off the heat.Spread cooked rice in large plate.
  6. In a mortar and pestle coarsely crush ginger, garlic and green chilies.
  7. In a large bottomed pan, heat mixture of 2 tbsp clarified butter and 2 tbsp oil.Add crushed mixture of ginger, garlic and chilies and fry for 30 seconds.
  8. Now add sliced onions and fry till onions turn tender.Onions become tender on low heat in about 6 mins.Now add chopped tomatoes.Add 1 tsp salt. Mix.Cook covered till tomatoes turn soft.Tomatoes become mushy in 6-7 mins.
  9. Now add half of coriander and mint leaves.Add Thalassery Biryani Masala powder.Bhunao for 2-3 minutes.As Oil starts oozing on the surface, add curd.Stir while adding curd and reduce heat to the lowest.
  10. Add marinated chicken drumsticks.Add in the remaining marinade.Mix.Add ¾th cup hot water, Salt to taste.Allow gravy to come to boil.
  11. As gravy comes to boil, reduce heat and cook covered.Chicken gets cooked in about 20 mins.Allow chicken to simmer for few mins to get a thicker consistency.Consistency should be of ½ cup gravy.Switch off the heat.Add crushed fried onions.Cover the chicken until layering.
  12. Assembling the Biryani.Pour 1 tsp ghee.Half quantity rice.Spread rice evenly. Add Mint leaves,coriander leaves, fried onions,fried raisins,fried cashew nuts,rose water,saffron milk. This completes first layer.
  13. Add remaining rice and spread it evenly.Add Mint leaves,coriander leaves, fried onions,fried raisins,fried cashew nuts,rose water,saffron milk. This completes last layer.
  14. We will seal the lid with dough.Biryani Handi must be placed on direct high heat for 2 mins.After 2 mins, transfer the handi on a hot griddle.
  15. Transfer handi on a hot iron griddle and cook on medium heat.Place a heavy vessel on the lid of handi.
  16. Cook Biryani for 12 mins.
  17. Serve this authentic and delicious biryani from Kerala with some raita.