Samantha One of my favorite Indian dishes is biryani. After trying many different variations of biryani while traveling in India, so far my favorite version is Hyderabadi Biryani.
Hyderabadi biryani has a strong blend of flavors, spice, and saffron. The dish is influenced by the unique flavors of South India and a wide range of Arab countries. The meat/veggies is first marinated in yogurt and spices, then meat/veggies, spices, and rice are layered in a sealed in a pot and cooked on low heat. There are two versions of this dish. Kacchi version adds raw meat to the layering and is cooked longer while the Pakki method starts with cooked meat.
Ingredients
Marinade
Boil rice Ingredients (potli masala)
Fry Onions, Cashews, and Spices Ingredients
Cooking chicken spices
Rice layering
Raita Ingredients
Serve with
Directions
- Marinade chicken overnight: Combine all marinade ingredients together in a large bow with a lid. Place in refrigerator overnight.
- Soak Rice: Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile make potli masala pouch and fried onions
- Potli masala pouch: combine cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, peppercorns, bay leaf, and cloves in a tea bag pouch or clean muslin cloth.
- Make Fry Onions and Cashews: Heat the Ghee in a Dutch oven on medium high heat. Add onions to the Ghee. Cook for 4 -5 minutes stirring. Then add the rest of the Fry Onions and Spices ingredients. Cook for 2 more minutes stirring. Then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Cook rice to 75% done: Once the rice is done soaking drain the water. Add 6 cups of water to a large pot. Heat pot till it boils. Season with salt and add potli masala pouch. Add rice to boiling water. After 5 minutes check the rice. The rice will become long, soft, and not mushy. Drain water. Discard potli. Set aside for layering step.
- Cook Chicken: In the same Dutch oven used to fry onions heat 1 TBSP of ghee on medium high heat. Add star anise, bay leaf, and cardamom pods. Sauté for a minute. Add marinated chicken. Cook uncovered for 4 minutes stirring. Turn down heat to medium low. Cover and cook till chicken is completely cooked.
- If the chicken has a lot of water in it remove all of the chicken. Turn up the heat to medium high and reduce the chicken liquid by half. Remove half of the liquid with the chicken. Then return half of the chicken to the Dutch oven.
- Layer Biryani in Dutch oven: Then using the rice layering ingredients layer like the diagram below.
- Simmer: Place the lid on the Dutch oven. Put it over low heat and for 30 – 40 minutes.
- Make Raita: Meanwhile make raita. Mix all raita ingredients together.
- Serve: Serve with cilantro mint and raita.
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 366
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 7g11%
- Saturated Fat 3g15%
- Cholesterol 62mg21%
- Sodium 710mg30%
- Potassium 531mg16%
- Total Carbohydrate 43g15%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 7g
- Protein 35g70%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
