Biryani is every Indian’s favorite party dish. Hyderabad Dum biryani is more special. To Hyderabadis, biryani doesn’t need an introduction. Biryani corners, takeouts, high scale restaurants popped everywhere in Hyderabad. Biryani is often described as aromatic, heavenly delicious. Dum is a method of slow cooking with marinated raw chicken and spiced basmati rice arranged in layers, and finally sealing the pot with dough. When every biryani is served in gatherings, weddings, celebrations, it is the center of attraction. Biryani’s characters as you can tell – rich spices, aromatic flavor is what draws everyone’s attention and makes people drool for it.

South India’s state Telangana’s capital city Hyderabad hosts more than one variety of Biryani. Among all, Dum biryani is most crowd pleased one. Raju gari Kodi pulav (translated as King’s chicken pilaf), ulava chaaru biryani (horse gram) are next crowd pleased biryanis. It is believed that Mughals who migrated to India from Persia, Afghanistan, turkey were the first to introduce biryani in North India. Hyderabad which is on the Southern side of India has a long history of Biryani since Nizam-ul-Mulk ruled Hyderabad in 1974. Biryani recipe was refined over centuries. Since then Hyderabadi Biryani is the most loved Biryani ever. Authentic biryani is made of Mutton (goat meat). Chicken biryani is another authentic variation. When we talk about Hyderabadi Biryani, we have to mention Paradise Biryani. This is one of the first and most popular Biryani chain in Hyderabad.

Traditionally biryani is made of raw meat marinated in spices overnight. Then meat and basmati rice layers are alternated. Then the pot is sealed with dough and cooked over slow cooking coal. In the modern days, meat is marinated in rich spices for almost 2 hours, basmati rice half cooked, then layered and cooked in sealed pot or cooker. The method of cooking Biryani in North India is different from the South. From Kashmir to Kanya Kumari, there probably are 50 variations of Biryani’s made in different regions.

Authentic Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

 

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Prep time

60 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour 40 mins

 

Author: Ujwala Chintala

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 cups extra long grain basmati rice
• Salt
• 1½ tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 tbsp ghee preferably homemade
• 1 tbsp fresh ground coriander powder
• 2 - 2½ tbsp yogurt preferably homemade
• 4 small sized limes
• 1 bunch - mint
• 1 bunch - cilantro
• 1 tsp - fresh ground fennel (sounf)
• 5 bay leaves
• ⅛th tsp - ground equal parts of cloves and cinnamon
• ¼ tsp javantri
• 3 star anise
• ¼th tsp fresh ground nutmeg (jajikaya)
• ½ tsp fresh ground marati moggalu - optional
• 2 black cardamom - optional
• 5 threads pure saffron - optional
• Optionally julienne cut onions and deep fry.

Instructions

1. Soak basmati rice.
2. Meanwhile, take chicken pieces in a bowl. If drumsticks or any pieces are big, make deep cuts with a knife. So that marinade spreads inside too.
3. Add 1½ tbsp oil, salt, chili powder, coriander powder, ground cloves and cinnamon, ginger garlic paste, ½ bunch chopped mint, ½ bunch cilantro, yogurt. Squeeze 2 limes. Mix well.
4. Drain water from rice. In a pot, add 4 cups of water, rice, salt. Heat to medium-high. When water starts boiling, turn heat to medium-low. Cook until all water is evaporated. Turn off the stove.
5. Add mint, javantri, nutmeg, Marathi mogga, fennel powder, 1 lime juice, star anise, bay leaves to half cooked rice. Mix well. Do not mix hard with a spoon. Instead carefully fold.
6. Take an aluminum or heavy-bottomed pressure cooker. Do not use regular steel cooker. Steel cookers tend to burn in the bottom. Also, make sure cooker bottom is wide. Tall cookers don't work well. It is ideal if chicken spreads in one layer or at the most 2 layers in the bottom.
7. Add remaining oil to cooker. Spread all over the bottom.
8. Spread chicken. Don't leave space between pieces. If you leave space, rice will seep to bottom and it will burn.
9. Now add rice on the top. Top with ghee and saffron.
10. Close the lid tightly. Do not put cooker whistle.Turn stove to medium-high. In 5-10 minutes, steam comes out of the cooker. Let steam come for 2 minutes, then put whistle and turn stove to medium-low. Keep for 10 minutes. Then turn to low for 10 minutes. Turn off the stove.
11. Wait for cooker de-pressurize.
12. Remove biryani carefully, into a big bowl. Do not to mush. Squeeze remaining limes. Garnish with cilantro and fried onions.
13. Serve hot with raw onion.

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