Simple chicken biryani recipe
- 250 g (8.8oz) basmati rice
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 300 g (10.6oz) onions, sliced
- 150 g (5.3oz) onion, chopped
- 3 tbsp Patak's Biryani/Madras Paste
- 4 chicken breast (skin removed) or 8 chicken joints (skin removed), cut into large pieces
- 1 2.5 cm piece of cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 1 pinch saffron strands (optional)
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 handful fried onions
- Wash the rice in several changes of warm water before leaving to soak in cold water for 20-25 minutes (if you have time).
- Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.
- Gently heat the 4 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and fry the sliced onions until golden brown.
- Drain on absorbent paper.
- In the same oil, saute the diced onion for 5 minutes.
- Once they are light golden brown add the Patak's Biryani/Madras Paste.
- Add a little water to prevent the spices from burning, and stir well for a few minutes, or until you can start to see oil rising to the surface.
- Add the chicken and pour in about 100ml of water.
- Leave the masala to cook for about 15 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through.
- In the meantime, make the rice.
- Drain the soaked rice and bring around 2 pints of water to the boil in a pan.
- Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, green cardamom pods and saffron (if using).
- Throw in the rice and stir well before seasoning the water well with salt and then drizzling in the remaining oil.
- Allow to cook for 5 minutes before draining and dividing the rice into three equal portions.
- Check the chicken is cooked and the sauce has thickened before dividing into two equal portions.
- Grease an ovenproof dish (such as a casserole dish) and layer the bottom with aromatic rice.
- Sprinkle with some chopped coriander, and then spread a layer of chicken followed by another sprinkling of chopped coriander.
- Repeat the layering until all the rice and chicken has been used.
- Seal the dish tightly with foil and a tight-fitting lid and pop in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Garnish with fried onions and serve.
basmati rice, vegetable oil, onions, onion, chicken, cinnamon, bay leaves, green cardamom pods, saffron strands, fresh coriander, salt, handful fried onions
Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/14930/anjali-pathaks-simple-chicken-biryani (may not work)