Homemade Chicken Biryani - Indian Style

Step 1: Clean and Marinate Fish

Clean the sardine fish. In a bowl, add fish, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and fresh lemon juice. Mix gently and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare Chicken Marinade

In a large bowl, add chicken pieces. Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, and chicken biryani masala. Mix well. Add mustard oil and mix again. Marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Step 3: Shallow Fry Fish

Heat olive oil in a pan. Shallow fry the marinated fish until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Step 4: Prepare Brown Onions (Barista)

Thinly slice onions. Fry them in oil until crispy and golden brown. Remove and set aside for garnish.

Step 5: Prepare Biryani Base (Gravy)

In a large pot, heat oil. Add whole spices (bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick). Sauté for a minute until fragrant. Add chopped ginger-garlic and fry until golden brown. Add sliced onions and fry until translucent.

Step 6: Add Vegetables and Spices to Gravy

Add chopped tomatoes and green chilies to the pot. Cook until tomatoes soften. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder. Cook until oil separates.

Step 7: Cook Chicken

Add the marinated chicken to the gravy. Stir gently to combine. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes without stirring. After 10 minutes, stir gently to check if it's sticking to the bottom. Continue cooking until chicken is 70-80% cooked.

Step 8: Prepare Rice

Wash basmati rice thoroughly. Soak in water for 15-20 minutes. Boil water in a separate pot. Add soaked rice and cook until 40% done (al dente). Drain the water.

Step 9: Layer the Biryani

Once the chicken is partially cooked, remove half of the chicken gravy from the pot. Spread a layer of partially cooked rice over the remaining chicken. Sprinkle some brown onions, chopped mint, and coriander leaves. Drizzle some kewra water and a few drops of food color.

Step 10: Second Layer and Dum Cooking

Add the remaining chicken gravy over the first rice layer. Top with another layer of rice. Sprinkle more brown onions, chopped mint, and coriander leaves. Drizzle more kewra water and food color. Cover the pot tightly and cook on low heat (dum cooking) for at least 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and fragrant.

Step 11: Serve Biryani

Once cooked, gently mix the biryani to combine the layers. Serve hot with raita, aloo ka achar, and fresh salad.

• Marinate chicken for at least 15-20 minutes for best flavor.

• Do not overmix the fish while marinating to prevent it from becoming mushy.

• Cook rice only 40% before layering for dum biryani.

• Use fresh ingredients for better taste and aroma.

• Do not overmix the chicken once added to the gravy to maintain its texture.

• Can be made with other meats like lamb or goat.

• Vegetarian version can be made with mixed vegetables and paneer.

• Adjust spice levels to personal preference.