Thalassery Style Chicken Dum Biryani Recipe

Thalassery Style Chicken Dum Biriyani Recipe

 Ingredients:

  For biriyani masala powder :

   fennel seed (perumjeerakam) - 1 tsp
   cinnamon stick (karukapatta) - 1" pieces 2
   clove (gramboo) - 3-4
   cardamom seeds (elakka) - from 4 pods
   star anise (thakkolam) - 1 small
   cumin seeds (jeerakam) - 1/4 tsp
   poppy seeds (kasakasa) - 1 tsp
   pepper corns - 1tsp
   mace (jathipathri) - 1 strand
   nutmeg (jathikka) - a small piece

  For the toping

   cashew nuts - 1/2 cup
   raisins - 1/4 cup
   onion - 2 cups (thinly sliced)
 

  For chicken masala

    chicken - 1 kg
    green chillies - 11 (adjust as per taste)
    garlic - 1/4 cup
    ginger - 3" piece
   onion - 4 medium sized
   biriyani masala powder (previously made) - 1+1/2 tbsp
   tomatoes - 2
   curd - 3 tbs
   coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
   mint leaves - 1/4 cup
   salt

  For rice

   jeerakasala rice - 1 kg (4 cups)
   whole spices ( bay leaf-1,cinnamon -1"stick,cloves -4, seeds of 3 cardamom,1 small star anise )
   ghee - 2 tbs
   water 7 cups
   salt

 Method

  step 1 : making biriyani masala powder

   - prepare biriyani masala powder by making a fine powder of all ingredients listed under "for biriyani masala powder"
  - I didn't roast them; You can roast  and powder them

step 2 : frying the toping

 - fry cashews till get a golden shade and then drain and keep aside
 - fry raisins till they  puffed up and then drain and keep aside
 - fry thinly sliced onions in batches till get pretty golden colour then drain and keep aside

 step 3 : chicken masala

 - crush ginger-garlic-green chilly into a paste and keep aside
 - saute 4 sliced onions till become very soft
 - add in the crushed ginger-garlic-green chilly paste
 - saute till the raw smell gone
 - add in the biriyani masala powder and turmeric powder and saute for 1 minute
 - add in the cleaned and draine chicken pieces
 - stir well till the colour of the chiccken pieces turned white (2-3 minutes)
 - add in chopped tomatoes, salt and curd
 - mix well
 -  cover it and cook on low flame till the chicken pieces are done (10-12 minutes)
 - no need to add extra water; moisture released from chicken is enough to cook them well
 - stir in between to prevent burning
 - once the gravy become thick and chicken pieces are cooked add in the coriander leaves,mint leaves and half of the fried onion
 - mix well
 - chicken masala is ready now; turn off the flame.

 step 4 : rice preparation

  - heat up 2 tbs ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel
  - saute the whole spices for 1 minute
  - add the washed and drained rice and stir for 2 minutes (no need to soak the rice)
  - then pour 7 cups of hot boiling water
  - add in enough salt
  - add in 1 tbs lemon juice
  - mix well
  - cook it covered on medium flame till the rice absorbed entire water.

 step 5 : dum

  - line a heavy bottomed vessel with ghee
  - layer the chicken masala first
  - then layer half of the rice
  - add some of the fried cashews,raisins and fried onions
  - sprinkle some biriyani msasala powder
  - then layer the remaining rice
  - add in the cashews,raisins,fried onions
  - sprinkle biriyani masala powder and 1 tbs rose water
  - add in 1 tbs ghee
  - cover the top with aluminium foil and seel the edjes and then place the lid
  - heat up an old tawa
  - place the biriani pot over it
  - cook in low flame for 20 minutes and then switch off the flame.
  - open it after 10 minutes .
  - when serving make sure that each portion get equal amount of gravy and rice