Thalassery 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
• dried red chilly -  2
• sajeera - 1/2 tsp

  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 - 6-7 (adjust as per taste)
    garlic - 30g
    ginger - 15g
   onion - 2
   biriyani masala powder (previously made) - 2 tbsp
   tomatoes - 2
   curd - 2 tbs
   lemon juice -1 tbs
   coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
   mint leaves - 1/4 cup
   salt

  For rice

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

 Method

  step 1 : making biriyani masala powder

• dry roast the spices [listed under 'for biryani masala'] except chilly and poppy seeds for two minutes on medium heat
• after two minutes add chilly and poppy seeds and roast for one minute more
• turn off the heat and powder them when cool

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 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 drained chicken pieces
 - stir well till the colour of the chiccken pieces turned white (5 minutes)
 - add in chopped tomatoes,coriander leaves mint leaves and salt
 - 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 chicken pieces are cooked add in curd and lemon juice
 - cook without putting lid until the gravy become thick
 - turn off the flame
 - crush 3/4 of fried onion with your hands and add into the gravy
 - mix well
 - chicken masala is ready now; keep this aside

 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

  - in a small bowl mix together tbs rose water and tsp turmeric powder and keep aside

  - take a heavy bottomed vessel
  - 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
  - sprinkle the rose water mix
  - add some coriander leaves
  - 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 10 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