The following recipe is a record of the ingredients we used on this occasion. This is no classic recipe, but it works very well. After youve made it 6 times or so, you'll be able to understand how adding more spice or more salt can really intensify this dish. Some people love that rush. However, as I transition into my middle years, I can say that my body appreciates hot spices less and less. As does my ass. But sometimes I just go for it and buy plenty of magazines for the next day.
Feeds 6 people (or split equally between one MW and one LW and one PRW).
Chop one red onion. Mince many cloves of garlic. "Always use too much garlic" is the rule.
Also, mince up a thumb-size piece of ginger.
Also, mince up a thumb-size piece of ginger.
To mince ginger, cut it into little juliennes like this, turn them 90 degrees, and make the strips into tiny little squares of joy.
Get your spices together on a plate or in a bowl so you can add them all at once later.
Today, we are adding the following:
3 T. curry powder
2 T. garam masala (spice mix available in most supermarkets)
1 T. gr. turmeric
2 t. gr. cumin
2 t. gr. corriander
1 t. gr. cayenne
1/2 t. gr. clove
1 cinnamon stick
4 bay leaves
2 or 3 chicken bullion cubes
Now let's cut up the chicken. We use 3 lbs of chicken thighs today, but you can any cut of chicken, whole or chopped, with skin or without. However you like it. Make no apologies.
For this preparation, strip off the skin and discard. Cut the raw chicken off the bones and then cube the meat. You can also leave the thighs whole and brown them that way; then, in the finished dish you have delicious while thighs. Some people really dig that, and that's the way they cook it on the subcontinent.
For this preparation, we browned this chicken in a separate pan and added it to the rice later.
Now, we cook!
In a heavy pot, heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 2 T. butter. Use medium high heat.
When the butter is melted, throw in the onion, garlic and ginger. Lower heat to med.
Cook for 5 minutes or so, until the onion is nice and wilted and everything cooks down. Check your heat during this phase. I find I have to keep making slight downward adjustments on the heat to keep the garlic happy. Garlic will go from tan to brown to black in a very short time in a hot pan and this completely ruins the dish. Garlic likes a moderate, friendly temp.
Next, add the spices all at once.
Stir the pot and let the spices cook into the onion mixture for 2 mins or so and get nice and toasty.
Add one med. can of chopped tomatoes (not pictured). How much of the tomato juice in the can you add is up to you. If I want my biryani to have more of a vegetably flavor, I would add at least some of it. Sometime I just drain all the juice off and use only the tomatoes. This way, the tomato juice doesnt contend with the chicken stock we add later, and the result is more chickeny and more spicy. Sometimes I just chop up a fresh t'mate and toss that in.
Cook another 2-3 mins., letting the tomatoes start to bubble.
Next, add 2 cups rice.
Add one med. can of chopped tomatoes (not pictured). How much of the tomato juice in the can you add is up to you. If I want my biryani to have more of a vegetably flavor, I would add at least some of it. Sometime I just drain all the juice off and use only the tomatoes. This way, the tomato juice doesnt contend with the chicken stock we add later, and the result is more chickeny and more spicy. Sometimes I just chop up a fresh t'mate and toss that in.
Cook another 2-3 mins., letting the tomatoes start to bubble.
Next, add 2 cups rice.
Stir well. Try to get every grain of rice covered with that tomatoey, spicy goodness!
Next, add the cubed & browned chicken and 4 cups of chicken stock.
Stir well and let the pot come to a mild boil.
Taste the liquid. Add up to 1 T. salt (maybe more) to really boost the flavors. Remember, youre adding salt to a lot of food; one tablespoon might seem like a lot but it isn't. You might have to add even more.
*I've found that the trick to salting dishes like this is to give it a pretty big dose (like a tablespoon), stir it up real good and taste the broth. I know the liquid is not salted right if the sip I have leaves a kind of watery aftertaste. I keep adding small amounts of salt to the pot until that watery aftertaste disappears. You really do have to use your hand for this, and not the salt shaker. That'll take forever to add the right amount. Pour salt into the well of your palm and add it that way, about a teaspoon at a time.
When you've achieved the perfect flavor, cover the pot and bring the heat way down to low.
Let the biryani cook for 25 min on low heat. Don't open the pot.
While the biryani cooks...
...make the raita (spiced yogurt)! This is a cool and creamy condiment for the biryani that balances the aggressive heat of the dish.
Here's a pic we took of the raita bowl too late:
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| A truly unfortunate representation |
And the ingredients are:
1 med. container of plain yogurt
2 T. garam masala
1 T. curry powder
1 T. honey
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Handful of cilantro leaves, minced
Handful of raisins
1/3 cup diced cucumber (no peel)
Pinch of salt
Now, we eat!
When the biryani is done you can eat it right away (and we always do) or it can sit with the lid on and stay warm for a couple hours. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and spoon on some raita.
Bon appetite!
