Malabar Chicken Biryani Recipe: Aromatic Delight from Kerala

Malabar Chicken Biryani is a delicious and aromatic dish from the Malabar region of Kerala, India. Here’s a basic recipe to make Malabar Chicken Biryani:

Ingredients:

For Marination:

• 500 grams chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 cup yogurt (curd)
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• Salt to taste

For Rice:

• 2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• Water for boiling rice
• Whole spices (1 bay leaf, 4-5 cloves, 4-5 peppercorns, 1-inch cinnamon stick)
• Salt to taste

For Biryani Masala:

• 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt to taste

For Layering:

• Fried onions (from 2 onions, thinly sliced and fried until golden brown)
• Saffron milk (a pinch of saffron strands soaked in 2 tablespoons warm milk)
• Ghee (clarified butter)

Instructions:

1. Marinate the Chicken:
   • In a bowl, mix together the chicken pieces, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, and salt. Marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Prepare the Rice:
   • Boil water in a large pot. Add the soaked and drained basmati rice along with whole spices (bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick), and salt. Cook the rice until it is 70-80% done. Drain and set aside.
3. Prepare Biryani Masala:
   • Heat ghee in a large pan or pot. Add thinly sliced onions and sauté until golden brown. Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for layering.
   • To the remaining onions in the pan, add chopped tomatoes, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves, coriander leaves, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the masala is well combined.
4. Layering the Biryani:
   • In a heavy-bottomed pot or biryani vessel, spread a layer of the cooked chicken masala.
   • Top with a layer of cooked rice.
   • Sprinkle fried onions, saffron milk, and ghee on top of the rice layer.
   • Repeat the layers until all the rice and chicken masala are used up, ending with a layer of rice on top.
5. Dum Cooking (Slow Cooking):
   • Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. You can seal the edges with dough or use a heavy lid to prevent steam from escaping.
   • Cook on low heat (dum) for about 20-25 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the rice to finish cooking in the steam.
6. Serve:
   • Once done, gently mix the layers before serving to combine the flavors.
   • Serve hot with raita (yogurt salad) and pickle.

Enjoy your flavorful Malabar Chicken Biryani!