Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

After gathering information on how Dum Biryani should taste like from Bismillah Biryani, I decide to whip my my own version of Dum Biryani Hyderbadi style to celebrate Deepavali. Before my visit to Bismillah, I had google on the web and manage to find the cooking procedure for Dum Biryani at Vahrahvah.com.

Based on Vahrahvah instruction, the basmati rice need to precook to certain degree so that when you cook the meat together with the rice both will be evenly cooked. As Vaharahvah didn't specify how much you need to precook the basmatic rice, as a result my hyderabadi biryani didn't came out exactly as I wanted as the rice is not cooked well enough. In order to resolve this issue, I steam the rice over steamer for another 10mins and it came out pretty well.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

• 4 pieces of chicken thighs with bone
• 2 cups of basmati rice
• 15 strands of saffron soaked in hot water
• Chicken rassa
• 3 tablespoon of dry chopped red onions

 Marinade

• 60ml of yogurt
• 1 cup of fried dry chopped red onions
• 10 sprigs of coriander
• 1 packet of Shan Chicken Biryani Mix 50g
  
• 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon of chopped ginger
• 1 quart slice lime
• salt
• 1 tablespoon of oil
  

Marinate the chicken thighs with a pinch of salt, garlic and ginger. Squeeze a lime on the chicken and made sure the chicken thighs are evenly marinated. Mix 25g of Shan Chicken Biryani Mix with 60ml of yogurt, coriander, chopped red onions and oil. Apply to the chicken thighs and ensure all the thighs are even coated with the biryani mix. It is best if the chicken thighs are marinated overnight. 

Before you pre-cook the basmati rice, you need to soak it for at least 30 mins. After that, you boil a pot of boiling water with oil and adequate salt in it. When you add in the rice, the water will cease to boil. When the water start to boil, time the cooking for 5mins and drain the rice on colander. On thick based pot or non-stick pot, line the marinated chicken thigh with skin facing the cooking surface as the skin will help protect the chicken from over cook.

Start scooping the pre-cook rice on the chicken thigh to form a think layer, start sprinkle some fried chopped onion coriander and splash the saffron water onto the rice. Repeat for for the next layer until you have completely fill the pot with pre-cook rice. Use a wet cloth and seal the pot with the lid and cook under medium heat for 30mins until you can smell the biryani fragrance the you can start to serve it with chicken rassa. Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani is at it's best when freshly cook so do not delay serving it.