It was Konda's birthday this Sunday and she strictly said I was not to make any dal and only her favorite dishes through the day. Well with our relatives at home, it was only natural we will anyway plan for something special, however with her warning, we surely had to make nothing else.

The day started with a powder outage and I completely forgot about getting the chicken, so until the last moment we were not sure if we will end up making it. So imagine just under an hour, we had to make this. This is Amma's oldest recipe, and I am not really sure how I have not yet made this. Anyway we hardly had anytime to even discuss much. We did in rapid speed for we had to have the food on the table for lunch.

We made for about ten people with almost 7 cups of rice and 2 kgs of chicken. I have scaled it down for about 4 people. I was quite liberal with spice as my relatives eat quite spicy, however Dad said the spice was ok. He was our tester, though on most occasions, I just trust my judgement on the aroma that comes out, I wanted to be sure that it was fine.

Since it was a typical Dum Biryani, adding less water than it needs makes sure your biryani comes out well.

Chicken Dum Biryani
Serves - 4 -5 ppl

Ingredients Needed

For the Chicken Marinade

Chicken - 1/2 kg
Salt to taste
Curds - 1/2 cup
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste -1 tsp
Coriander leaves - handful
Mint leaves handful

For the Rice

Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Water - 4 cups
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp

Whole Spices:

Bay Leaves - 2 -3
Shahjeera - 1/2 tsp
Clove - 2 -3
Cinnamon - 2"
Cardamon - 2 -3
Star Anise - 2
Maze/ Javatri - 1 -2
Marathi Mogga -1

Onions - 2 cups
Green chilies - 3 -4 long
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder -1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Coriander leaves - handful
Mint leaves handful

For Garnish

Onion, julienne & Cashews - roasted

Chapati dough for the Dum process

How to make the Dum Chicken Biryani

Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins.

Meanwhile wash and cut chicken pieces. Marinate with ingredients listed for atleast 30 mins - 1 hr.

Heat a kadai with oil, ghee, add the onions, saute, then add the green chilies, all the whole spices and saute well till the onions turn colour.

Then add the chicken marinade and cook on high. Add salt and turmeric powder and continue cooking. When the chicken gets roasted well and most of the water gets evaporated, add chili powder and coriander powder. At this stage add the coriander leaves and mint leaves.

Meanwhile get the pan you are going to make the dum biryani ready with water to boil. Then once the chicken is almost dry, add it to the water.

Bring it to boil and then simmer. Cook for 10 - 15 mins in simmer.

Then mix everything well, cover with lid and seal with chapati dough around the pan. Place on a tawa and cook in sim for another 15 - 20 mins.

Then once done, let it rest for 5 mins, remove the lid, garnish with roasted onions, cashews.

Notes:

For Basmati rice, the water rice ratio is always 1 1/2 : 1 cup, however since this is a dum biryani, you can reduce that half cup of water finally.

Be little liberal with oil, as when you store it, it gets better. Spice is added in three different places, as green chilies, in marinade and finally in the gravy. so adjust as required.