Recipe for non veg biryani
Non-vegetarian Biryani is a flavorful and aromatic Indian rice dish made with basmati rice, tender meat (usually chicken, mutton, or fish), and a blend of fragrant spices. Here's a traditional recipe for Chicken Biryani:
Ingredients:
For Marinating the Chicken:
- 750 grams chicken, cut into pieces
- 1 cup plain yogurt (curd)
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
For the Rice:
- 2 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
- 4-5 cups water
- Whole spices (2-3 bay leaves, 4-5 cloves, 4-5 green cardamoms, 1-inch cinnamon stick)
For the Biryani:
- 4 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1/2 cup milk
- A pinch of saffron strands (optional)
- 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup fried onions (for garnish)
- 1/4 cup roasted cashew nuts (for garnish)
- A few strands of saffron soaked in warm milk (for garnish)
Whole Spices (for Biryani):
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 4-5 green cardamoms
- 4-5 cloves
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 1-2 black cardamoms
- 1-2 star anise
- 1 mace (javitri)
Biryani Masala Powder (for Biryani):
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 3-4 green cardamoms
- 4-5 cloves
Instructions:
1. Marinate the Chicken:
- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under "For Marinating the Chicken" to create a marinade.
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, ensuring they are well coated.
- Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for at least 1-2 hours (preferably overnight) in the refrigerator.
2. Prepare the Biryani Masala Powder:
- Dry roast all the spices listed under "Biryani Masala Powder" until aromatic.
- Grind the roasted spices to a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
3. Cook the Rice:
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add the soaked and drained basmati rice.
- Add the whole spices (bay leaves, cloves, green cardamoms, cinnamon stick) and cook the rice until it is 70% cooked (the rice should still have a bite to it).
- Drain the rice and set it aside.
4. Infuse Saffron:
- In a small bowl, mix the saffron strands with warm milk and set it aside. This will be used for garnishing the Biryani later.
5. Fry Onions:
- In a separate deep pan or pot, heat ghee or vegetable oil over medium heat.
- Add thinly sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown and caramelized.
- Remove half of the fried onions and set them aside for garnishing.
6. Layer the Biryani:
- In the same pan with the remaining fried onions, add the marinated chicken pieces.
- Cook the chicken until it's partially done and the marinade thickens.
- Add half of the chopped coriander leaves, half of the mint leaves, and half of the biryani masala powder. Mix well.
- Now, layer half of the partially cooked rice over the chicken.
- Sprinkle the remaining coriander leaves, mint leaves, and biryani masala powder over the rice.
- Add the remaining rice on top of the herbs and spices.
- Pour the saffron-infused milk and drizzle melted butter over the rice.
7. Dum Cooking:
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, or use dough to seal the edges of the pan to trap steam.
- Cook the biryani on low heat for about 30-40 minutes. This slow-cooking process is called "dum."
8. Garnish and Serve:
- Once the biryani is done cooking, remove the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
- Garnish the biryani with the reserved fried onions, roasted cashew nuts, and saffron strands soaked in warm milk.
- Serve the delicious Chicken Biryani hot with raita (yogurt dip) and salad on the side.
Enjoy your flavorful and aromatic Non-vegetarian Biryani! Remember to adjust the spice levels according to your preference and taste.
