Chicken 65 Biryani – South Indian Style

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

In a large bowl, combine 1.3 kg boneless chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces) with 0.25 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp Aachi Chicken 65 Masala, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste, juice of 0.5 lemon, 2-3 tbsp yogurt, and 1.5 tsp salt. Mix thoroughly. Then, add 0.5 tsp cornflour powder and mix again until all chicken pieces are evenly coated. Marinate the chicken for at least 3 hours.

Step 2: Fry the Chicken 65

Heat oil for deep frying in a pan. To check seasoning, fry a single piece of marinated chicken. Taste and adjust salt or spice levels in the remaining marinade if necessary. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the marinated chicken pieces in batches.

Step 3: Cook Chicken 65

Deep fry the chicken pieces until they are golden brown and approximately 90% cooked through. Remove the fried chicken from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.

Step 4: Prepare Onions and Green Chillies

Thinly slice 3 large (palm-sized) onions. Split 6 green chilies lengthwise.

Step 5: Measure and Wash Rice

Measure 900g of Basmati rice using a kitchen scale. Wash the rice thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear. Soak the washed rice while the onions are sautéing, as the onions will take about 30 minutes.

Step 6: Sauté Whole Spices and Onions for Gravy

In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp of the chicken frying oil and 2 tbsp ghee. Add 4 bay leaves, 3 cinnamon sticks, 8 cloves, 1 star anise, 1 small piece of stone flower, 4 cardamoms, 1 tsp fennel seeds, and 0.5 tsp cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds until the spices are fragrant. Add the thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté the onions on medium heat for about 30 minutes until they turn a rich golden brown color.

Step 7: Add Ginger Garlic Paste and Herbs

Add 2 tbsp (4 small spoons) of ginger garlic paste to the browned onions and sauté until the raw smell of ginger and garlic disappears. Then, add 2 handfuls of chopped mint leaves and 1 handful of chopped coriander leaves (reserving some for layering). Sauté until the herbs wilt.

Step 8: Cook Tomatoes and Powdered Spices

Add 4 medium chopped tomatoes to the pot and sauté until they become soft and mushy. Next, add 2 tsp homemade garam masala, 1 tsp Shan Biryani Masala, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, 1.5 tbsp red chili powder, 0.5 tsp turmeric powder, and 1 tbsp coriander powder. Mix all the spices well with the tomato-onion mixture and cook until the raw smell of the spices is gone and oil starts to separate from the mixture.

Step 9: Finish the Biryani Gravy

Pour in 1 cup of whisked yogurt and mix thoroughly into the gravy. Cook for a few minutes until well combined. Finally, squeeze in the juice of 0.5 lemon and mix. The gravy should be thick and flavorful.

Step 10: Prepare Water for Rice

In a separate large pot, bring a generous amount of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, 2 cardamoms, a few mint leaves, a few coriander leaves, 1 tbsp oil, and salt (the water should taste slightly salty). Add 0.5 tsp ginger garlic paste to the boiling water.

Step 11: Cook and Drain Rice

Add the washed and soaked Basmati rice to the vigorously boiling water. Cook the rice until it is approximately 70% done (the grains should be pliable but still have a slight bite). Once cooked, drain the rice, reserving about 4 tbsp of the rice water for later use.

Step 12: Layer the Biryani

Remove some of the prepared biryani gravy into a separate bowl. In the pot with the remaining gravy, add a layer of fried Chicken 65 pieces. Follow with a layer of the 70% cooked Basmati rice. Sprinkle a pinch of biryani masala, a few drops of chicken fried oil, some reserved mint and coriander leaves, 0.25 tsp lemon juice, and a handful of fried onions. Add a layer of the reserved biryani gravy. Repeat the layering process (chicken, rice, spices, herbs, lemon juice, fried onions, gravy) until all ingredients are used, ensuring the final top layer is rice.

Step 13: Add Color and Prepare for Dum

Mix 0.25 tsp Kashmiri chili powder with 4 tbsp of the reserved rice water. Drizzle this colored water evenly over the top layer of rice to add a light tint. Place a heavy lid on the pot. For dum cooking, place another pot filled with hot water on top of the lid to create a tight seal.

Step 14: Dum Cook the Biryani

Cook the biryani on the lowest heat setting for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest on the hot burner for an additional 15 minutes (if using a coil stove, otherwise let it rest for 15-20 minutes). This allows the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking perfectly.

Step 15: Serve the Biryani

Gently mix the biryani from the bottom up to combine all the layers and ingredients. Transfer the delicious Chicken 65 Biryani to a large serving tray. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

• Wash Basmati rice thoroughly before soaking to prevent breakage during cooking.

• When boiling water for rice, taste it for salt; it should be slightly salty to ensure the rice absorbs enough seasoning.

• For dum cooking, place a pot filled with hot water on top of the lid to create a tight seal and ensure even cooking.

• Saffron milk can be used for color on the top layer of rice instead of Kashmiri chili powder mixed with rice water.