Lucknowi Chicken Biryani

Ingredients list for Lucknowi Chicken Biryani

• 500 grams Chicken
• 1 cup Rice
• 2 medium Potatoes
• 4 tbsps Oil
• 3 medium Onions
• 2 inch piece Ginger
• 6-8 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Black peppercorns
• 3 Black cardamoms
• 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds (saunf)
• 2 blade Mace
• 2 inch stick Cinnamon
• to taste Salt
• 1 Bay leaf
• 6 Green cardamoms
• 1/2 teaspoon Caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
• 6 Cloves
• a few strands Saffron (kesar)
• 1 tablespoon Milk
• 15-20 Pistachios
• as required Silver warq to garnish
• For masala
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg powder
• 5 Cloves
• 6 Green cardamoms
• 2 Black cardamoms

Method

1. Clean, wash and cut chicken into one and half inch sized cubes. Wash rice twice and soak in two cups of water for fifteen minutes. Peel and slice potatoes into roundels. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry till golden brown. Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
2. Peel, wash and chop onions, ginger and garlic. Tie up some chopped onion, chopped ginger, chopped garlic with peppercorns, black cardamoms, fennel seeds, mace, cinnamon in a muslin cloth. Put this bundle with chicken, salt and three cups of water and let it cook till three-fourths done.
3. Take out the chicken pieces and retain the stock to cook the rice. For the masala grind the remaining onions, ginger and garlic with cumin seeds, nutmeg, cloves, green cardamoms and black cardamoms. Heat oil and sauté the ground masala till fat begins to separate.
4. Add semi cooked chicken pieces and salt and sauté for a while. Take it off the heat and keep aside. In another pan heat oil, add bay leaf, green cardamoms, caraway seeds and cloves. Sauté and then add the rice and sauté for a while.
5. Add double the quantity of reserved chicken stock and salt. When it comes to a boil, cover and let it cook. When the water reaches the level of the rice, add chicken and mix. Cover and cook on low heat.
6. Add saffron dissolved in milk and mix lightly. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with pistachios and silver warq and serve hot.

Nutrition Info